Swedish prosecutors decline to reopen 2004 Knutby murder case

Sweden’s director of public prosecutions has ruled out a new investigation into the 2004 Knutby murder, stating that recently submitted evidence does not justify reopening the case or applying for a retrial, SVT Nyheter reports.

In a statement, chief prosecutor Mats Svensson said the new material largely consists of “reinterpretations of previously examined evidence, objections to the original investigation, and speculative theories about alternative events.” He concluded that the threshold for reopening the case had not been met.

The case centers on Helge Fossmo, a pastor in Knutby’s Filadelfia congregation, who was convicted of orchestrating the murder of his wife and the attempted murder of a neighbor in January 2004. Sara Svensson, known as the “babysitter,” was found guilty of carrying out the killings at Fossmo’s direction.

The decision follows a 2025 investigation by Aftonbladet that highlighted alleged flaws in the original probe, including discrepancies in the number of gunshots, conflicting ballistic evidence, and bloodstain patterns that some claim cast doubt on Svensson’s role as the sole shooter.