Norwegian police release name of victim in Karmøy double homicide

Police have identified one of the two victims found dead in a residential care community on Karmøy island on Saturday as Jonny Myklebust, 60, Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet reports.

The bodies of a man in his 60s and a woman in her 50s were discovered in separate units at the Pilehagen residential collective in Kopervik. Both were residents of the facility, which provides supported housing for individuals with mental health or substance abuse challenges.

Two men in their 30s have been arrested and formally charged in connection with the deaths. One suspect underwent a five-hour police interrogation on Sunday, during which he denied criminal responsibility, according to his defence lawyer, Odd Arild Helland. The interrogation of the second suspect has been postponed indefinitely for medical reasons.

Police were first alerted to the incident at 09:29 on Saturday after a staff member discovered one of the bodies. The second victim was found around 13:00 in another unit within the same care facility. Authorities described the scene as “highly dramatic,” with visible injuries leading investigators to treat the case as a double homicide.

Specialised units from Norway’s National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos) and the emergency response team were deployed by helicopter to assist local police. The two suspects were apprehended at an address in Kopervik shortly before 19:00 on Saturday.

Police prosecutor Fredrik Martin Soma confirmed that the investigation suggests a prior relationship or acquaintance between the suspects and the victims but declined to elaborate further.

Neighbours described the area as troubled, with frequent police callouts, including past incidents involving knives. The son of the deceased man shared a tribute on social media, calling the death “incomprehensible, heavy, and very sad” while acknowledging his father’s struggles: “He had many battles, often against himself. But he also had a good, warm humour and care that we will always carry with us.”

Karmøy mayor Leiv Arne Marhaug called the incident a tragedy that has shaken the local community but praised the police response.