Police search harbour for weapon in four-year-old murder case

Danish police are searching the harbour in Vejle for a weapon believed to have been used in a fatal shooting in Aarhus over four years ago, investigators said Thursday. The search, involving divers, began at 8am after a tip-off, according to Danish broadcaster DR.

The victim, 21-year-old Søren Koch, was killed on 8 March 2022 when he drove past a petrol station in Viby, southern Aarhus. Police have now received information that the weapon used that night was thrown into Vejle harbour, said Flemming Nørgaard, head of investigation at Østjyllands Politi.

Finding the weapon could be significant for the case, Nørgaard said, as it might carry DNA evidence. Police determined shortly after the killing that Koch was a random victim.

Meanwhile, authorities in Northern Ireland have agreed to extradite a 33-year-old man suspected of involvement in the murder. He has been in pre-trial detention since September 2024. Nørgaard said the extradition process was delayed in part because the suspect had applied for asylum in Northern Ireland.

The man is expected to arrive in Denmark on 27 May and will be charged with complicity in the murder. Nørgaard said he expects the investigation to be completed within a few months and then handed over to prosecutors.

The case has had a heavy impact, Nørgaard added. “It has had vital costs for the relatives, friends and acquaintances. It has of course also affected colleagues at Østjyllands Politi who have worked closely on the case.”