Hundreds of volunteers from the Icelandic Search and Rescue Units helped police over the weekend, participating in a search for clues which could help solve the murder case of Birna Brjánsdóttir. The search focused on the beaches west of Selvogsviti lighthouse where Birna's body was discovered on January 22. The search was initiated after Police received a tip from a member of the public.
Body dumped near Vogsós estuary
According to the sources of the local newspaper Fréttablaðið Police now believes Birna's body was dumped in the ocean near Vogsós estuary, 6 km (3.7 km) to the west of where her body was found. The search over the weekend focused on the beach on either side of the estuary. Ásgeir Þór Ásgeirsson, the officer in charge of the search told Fréttablaðið that Police hoped to find clothing or perhaps the phone of Birna.
The searchers found nothing during the weekend. We didn't find any of Birna's things or anything else which could be connected to the case. But we have now eliminated the areas, and we don't need to search them again, Ásgeir Þór told Fréttablaðið.
Ásgeir Þór told Fréttablaðið that Police now believes that Birna's body was most likely dumped into the ocean at Vogsós estuary. Based on the weather conditions at the time we think it is more likely that she was put in the water to the west rather than to the east of where she was found. This is one of the places connected to the ocean to the west of Selvogsviti lighthouse.
Previous Iceland Insider coverage of the case:
We at Iceland Insider have been covering this horrible case since it first broke. Here is a rundown of our coverage to date.
Thursday Feb 2
Police now believes only one of the men originally arrested on connection to Birna's disappearance is responsible for her death.
Read more: One of two men held in connection to murder of Birna Brjánsdóttir released from custody
Monday Jan 30:
Thousands participate in a memorial service for Birna
Read more: Video: A large crowd gathered in Reykjavík on Saturday to remember Birna Brjánsdóttir
Wednesday Jan 25:
More details emerge of what happened during the hours leading up to Birna's disappearance
Tuesday Jan 24:
Police found Birna's ID on board the Greenlandic trawler.
Read more: Police found murdered girl’s ID on board Greenlandic trawler: Suspects interrogated today
The identity of the two suspects revealed by local media.
Read more: The identity of the two men suspected of murdering 20 year old Birna Brjánsdóttir revealed
Monday Jan 23:
Many unanswered questions despite the discovery of Birna's body
Sunday Jan 22:
Birna's body was found eight days after she was discovered missing.
Read more: Body of missing girl found: All evidence points to murder by two Greenlandic fishermen
Friday Jan 20
More details about the drug find on-board the Greenlandic trawler.
Read more: Forensic search of Greenlandic trawler: 20-40 kg (44-88 lbs) of hash blocks found
Police believes the two men held in custody are responsible for the murder of Birna.
Read more: Two sailors from Greenlandic trawler suspected of murder, search for missing girl continues
Greenlandic Foreign Minister postpones visit to Norway while the search for Birna continues.
Read more: Greenlandic Foreign Minister postpones visit to Norway due to disappearance of local girl
Thursday Jan 19
Police discover large quantities of drugs on-board the trawler, arresting a fourth man.
Read more: Fourth man arrested after large quantities of drugs discovered on board Greenlandic trawler
Police reveals that evidence from the a red Kia Rio the sailors had rented from Friday to Saturday pointed to a violent crime.
Read more: Missing girl: Evidence from car rented by crew members of Greenlandic trawler points to a crime
More arrests on-board the ship, which arrived in harbour at 23:07 on Wednesday
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
Wednesday Jan 18
Police arrested two men on board the trawler.
Read more: Two arrested on-board Greenlandic trawler in connection to missing girl
Police officers and members of the Police Special Forces were flown out to the Danish Coast Guard vessel HDMS Triton which was on intercept course with the Polar Nanoq.
Read more: Missing girl: Members of the Police Special Forces on their way to Greenlandic trawler
The case has gripped the Icelandic nation. Police warns people to avoid of hysteria.
Read more: Airing of British TV series The Missing postponed while search continues for missing girl
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows crew members exiting the red Kia Rio, behaving suspiciously. The trawler was returned to harbour in Reykjavík.
Read more: Missing girl: Disturbing clues, no arrests, but Greenlandic trawler returned to harbour in Iceland
Tuesday Jan 17
The car was linked to crew members of Greenlandic trawler which had been docked in Hafnarfjörður from Wednesday to Saturday. The trawler had sailed out and was fishing off the east coast of Greenland.
Tuesday afternoon Police found what it believes is the red Kia Rio seen in security camera footage just seconds before she was last spotted on CCTV footage in down town Reykjavík. The car was likely driven by foreign nationals. The driver is seen behaving suspiciously shortly after Birna's cell phone is turned off at 5:50 AM.
Read more: Missing woman: Car seen in surveillance tapes likely found, driver seen behaving strangely
Shoes which match those worn by Birna were found early Tuesday morning in Hafnafjörður, south of Reykjavík. Police does not rule out the shoes were planted at the scene. All available Police and Search and Rescue members are searching in and around Hafnafjörður harbour.
Read more: Police does not rule out that pair of shoes believed to belong to missing woman were planted
Police released CCTV footage of Birna walking in downtown Reykjavík on Monday.
Read more: Search for missing young woman: Police releases footage from surveillance cameras
Monday Jan 16
A large scale search had been underway since Saturday for 20 year old local woman. Police feared foul play.
Read more: Young local woman missing since Saturday: Have you seen her?
Hundreds of volunteers from the Icelandic Search and Rescue Units helped police over the weekend, participating in a search for clues which could help solve the murder case of Birna Brjánsdóttir. The search focused on the beaches west of Selvogsviti lighthouse where Birna's body was discovered on January 22. The search was initiated after Police received a tip from a member of the public.
Body dumped near Vogsós estuary
According to the sources of the local newspaper Fréttablaðið Police now believes Birna's body was dumped in the ocean near Vogsós estuary, 6 km (3.7 km) to the west of where her body was found. The search over the weekend focused on the beach on either side of the estuary. Ásgeir Þór Ásgeirsson, the officer in charge of the search told Fréttablaðið that Police hoped to find clothing or perhaps the phone of Birna.
The searchers found nothing during the weekend. We didn't find any of Birna's things or anything else which could be connected to the case. But we have now eliminated the areas, and we don't need to search them again, Ásgeir Þór told Fréttablaðið.
Ásgeir Þór told Fréttablaðið that Police now believes that Birna's body was most likely dumped into the ocean at Vogsós estuary. Based on the weather conditions at the time we think it is more likely that she was put in the water to the west rather than to the east of where she was found. This is one of the places connected to the ocean to the west of Selvogsviti lighthouse.
Previous Iceland Insider coverage of the case:
We at Iceland Insider have been covering this horrible case since it first broke. Here is a rundown of our coverage to date.
Thursday Feb 2
Police now believes only one of the men originally arrested on connection to Birna's disappearance is responsible for her death.
Read more: One of two men held in connection to murder of Birna Brjánsdóttir released from custody
Monday Jan 30:
Thousands participate in a memorial service for Birna
Read more: Video: A large crowd gathered in Reykjavík on Saturday to remember Birna Brjánsdóttir
Wednesday Jan 25:
More details emerge of what happened during the hours leading up to Birna's disappearance
Tuesday Jan 24:
Police found Birna's ID on board the Greenlandic trawler.
Read more: Police found murdered girl’s ID on board Greenlandic trawler: Suspects interrogated today
The identity of the two suspects revealed by local media.
Read more: The identity of the two men suspected of murdering 20 year old Birna Brjánsdóttir revealed
Monday Jan 23:
Many unanswered questions despite the discovery of Birna's body
Sunday Jan 22:
Birna's body was found eight days after she was discovered missing.
Read more: Body of missing girl found: All evidence points to murder by two Greenlandic fishermen
Friday Jan 20
More details about the drug find on-board the Greenlandic trawler.
Read more: Forensic search of Greenlandic trawler: 20-40 kg (44-88 lbs) of hash blocks found
Police believes the two men held in custody are responsible for the murder of Birna.
Read more: Two sailors from Greenlandic trawler suspected of murder, search for missing girl continues
Greenlandic Foreign Minister postpones visit to Norway while the search for Birna continues.
Read more: Greenlandic Foreign Minister postpones visit to Norway due to disappearance of local girl
Thursday Jan 19
Police discover large quantities of drugs on-board the trawler, arresting a fourth man.
Read more: Fourth man arrested after large quantities of drugs discovered on board Greenlandic trawler
Police reveals that evidence from the a red Kia Rio the sailors had rented from Friday to Saturday pointed to a violent crime.
Read more: Missing girl: Evidence from car rented by crew members of Greenlandic trawler points to a crime
More arrests on-board the ship, which arrived in harbour at 23:07 on Wednesday
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
Wednesday Jan 18
Police arrested two men on board the trawler.
Read more: Two arrested on-board Greenlandic trawler in connection to missing girl
Police officers and members of the Police Special Forces were flown out to the Danish Coast Guard vessel HDMS Triton which was on intercept course with the Polar Nanoq.
Read more: Missing girl: Members of the Police Special Forces on their way to Greenlandic trawler
The case has gripped the Icelandic nation. Police warns people to avoid of hysteria.
Read more: Airing of British TV series The Missing postponed while search continues for missing girl
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows crew members exiting the red Kia Rio, behaving suspiciously. The trawler was returned to harbour in Reykjavík.
Read more: Missing girl: Disturbing clues, no arrests, but Greenlandic trawler returned to harbour in Iceland
Tuesday Jan 17
The car was linked to crew members of Greenlandic trawler which had been docked in Hafnarfjörður from Wednesday to Saturday. The trawler had sailed out and was fishing off the east coast of Greenland.
Tuesday afternoon Police found what it believes is the red Kia Rio seen in security camera footage just seconds before she was last spotted on CCTV footage in down town Reykjavík. The car was likely driven by foreign nationals. The driver is seen behaving suspiciously shortly after Birna's cell phone is turned off at 5:50 AM.
Read more: Missing woman: Car seen in surveillance tapes likely found, driver seen behaving strangely
Shoes which match those worn by Birna were found early Tuesday morning in Hafnafjörður, south of Reykjavík. Police does not rule out the shoes were planted at the scene. All available Police and Search and Rescue members are searching in and around Hafnafjörður harbour.
Read more: Police does not rule out that pair of shoes believed to belong to missing woman were planted
Police released CCTV footage of Birna walking in downtown Reykjavík on Monday.
Read more: Search for missing young woman: Police releases footage from surveillance cameras
Monday Jan 16
A large scale search had been underway since Saturday for 20 year old local woman. Police feared foul play.
Read more: Young local woman missing since Saturday: Have you seen her?
