Jane Doe

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Polizeipr Sidium Hagen Hagen Police (DEPARTMENT)

Recovery Location:

Altena-Bergfeld, Germany

Summary:

An unidentified teenage or young woman was found murdered in a wooded area in Germany. She had been raped, strangled, and burned alive. Traces of seminal fluid found at the scene indicate she was killed by a relative. She remains unidentified as of 2026.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Recovery:

On June 2, 1997, a motorcyclist taking his bike along Hemecker Weg in the forest noticed something horrific. He found the charred body of a naked female and immediately phoned emergency services, which arrived around 7:30pm. An autopsy showed that she had been raped and strangled first. Investigators believe she was brutalized in a different location before being moved to the woods, where she was then doused in gasoline and set ablaze. The woman's body had been burned beyond recognition. It was determined that the victim was still alive while she was being burned.

Additional Details:

Postmortem exams strongly suggested a family member was involved in her death, likely being her own father. Checks of the fingerprints taken from the victim were negative. An isotope test was inconclusive, however, it is believed she spent the first 15 years of her life in Eastern Europe and was more likely between the ages of 18 and 22. The case was featured in the summer 2023 in the ZDF television show 'Aktenzeichen XY... Ungelöst'. In May 2023, the Bundeskriminalamt (German Federal Criminal Police) included the case in the international 'Identify Me' campaign. The victim has never been reported as missing. In January 2026, the Hagen police participated in production of a two-part documentary film for the streaming service MagentaTV of Deutsche Telekom.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 25, 2026