The triple murder at Torpo: – Filled with bottomless sorrow

It was Ingunn Slaatten (53), Sander Slaatten (22) and Signe Slaatten (18) who were shot and killed at Torpo in Ål in Hallingdal on the night of Saturday.

The father, Arne Slaatten (59), is charged with having killed them, before he is said to have taken his own life. The police believe that the murders were committed while the victims were sleeping on the night of Saturday, and the provisional autopsy report shows that all died instantly.

– On behalf of the next of kin, as their legal aid lawyer, I have been asked to express their despair and existence filled with bottomless grief from being the next of kin to the murder victims in the triple murder case at Torpo, writes lawyer Helge Hartz in a statement on Friday.

They would also like to thank you for your support.

– The next of kin wish to announce that efforts and follow-up from the crisis team in Ål, ongoing information and support from the police, as well as care from family, friends, acquaintances and strangers have been absolutely decisive in this situation, writes Hartz.

Towards the media

The next of kin react to the fact that several media outlets have chosen to publish the name and picture of the accused father.

– It is incomprehensible to the next of kin why the accused’s name and picture should be of interest to the public at this stage. Unfortunately, you can see that other media are now following suit. With the additional burden this imposes on the next of kin, this is perceived as a lack of respect towards people who ask for protection in a helpless life situation, writes the welfare lawyer.

Dagbladet is among the media outlets that have published the name and photo of the accused man, and who are receiving criticism from the public prosecutor. The reason for our identification you can read here.

These were killed

Unclear motive

The police went to the family home in Torpo around 8pm on Saturday evening, where they found four people dead. Several hours earlier, the police had visited the home, following a report of concern from an acquaintance of one of the dead.

They were unable to make contact when they sought out the home, but chose to leave the place anyway. When they returned again on Saturday evening, they entered the home and found the family dead.

A possible motive for the murders has not yet been found by the police.

Don’t understand why no one woke up

– We hope to get more answers, but it is not a given that we will, said police attorney Ann Iren Svane Mathiassen to Dagbladet on Wednesday.

The police have previously stated that there were no signs of a struggle in the home, and that the preliminary autopsy report shows that all four were shot with the same weapon. The police have found no evidence of the use of a silencer.

– Clarifying why no one has heard anything is part of the further investigation. For the time being, we also have no concrete time of the murder, apart from the fact that it happened on the night of Saturday, said Svane Mathiassen.

– A warm thank you

On Thursday, the local community gathered for a memorial service for those killed in Torpo church. The incident has shaken the village, where everyone knows everyone – and both the local community and the police are left with a number of unanswered questions.

– The dramatic news about the discovery of four dead bodies at Torpo has shaken our entire country and upset people both near and far. We have all received an unpleasant reminder of how vulnerable life is and how senselessly painful death affects us, said Bishop Jan Otto Myrseth.

– Shook the whole country

In a statement conveyed by provost Sveinung Hansen, the next of kin thanked them for their support.

– I want to greet you from the immediate family and express a warm thank you and the greatest gratitude for all the support from family, friends, acquaintances and strangers they have received in the last few days, Hansen said in the church.