Oslo elevator death suspects held in isolation over fears of hidden messages

Three men in their 30s, charged in connection with the death of a woman found in an elevator in Oslo’s Grønland district, remain in complete isolation in custody after prosecutors argued they may be withholding critical information, Dagbladet reports.

The woman, also in her 30s, was discovered dead in the elevator on April 11. Police arrested the three suspects the following Monday; all deny criminal responsibility. While authorities have released few details about the case, prosecutors successfully appealed to maintain isolation for two of the men—a 37-year-old and a 32-year-old—after a lower court initially ruled it unnecessary. The court of appeal cited prosecutors’ claims that the suspects could attempt to communicate with accomplices or witnesses to tamper with evidence, including sharing addresses, objects, or witness details unknown to police.

“Given the severity and nature of the case, it is most likely that [the suspects] will try to convey messages to other involved parties or witnesses that could destroy evidence against themselves or others,” the prosecution stated in its appeal, according to the ruling. Such messages, they argued, could be simple to relay even through fellow inmates not subject to restrictions.

The third suspect, a 35-year-old arrested during a live TikTok broadcast, remains isolated under a sealed court order. His defense attorney has previously claimed the man is cooperating fully with police and described his relationship with the victim as “friendly,” stating they were part of the same “social circle” the night of her death. The suspect has called the allegations “very, very saddening.”

Prosecutor Hilde Hermanrud Strand confirmed that investigators are pursuing “various hypotheses” related to the death but declined to comment on seized evidence. “At this stage, there is a tangible risk that the suspects could tamper with evidence if not kept isolated,” she said. Police continue to interview witnesses and map the victim’s and suspects’ contacts leading up to the incident.