The District Prosecutor has charged a 25 year old Greenlandic man, Thomas Møller Olsen, with the murder of 20 year old Icelandic girl Birna Brjánsdóttir. The case of Birna, who disappeared on January 14, gripped the Icelandic nation.
Life in prison
Thomas has also been charged with drugs trafficking. Pressed hashish worth at least one million USD was found on board the trawler Polar Nanoq, where he was a crew member. According to the local news site Vísir Thomas has confessed to the drug smuggling, but continues to deny having murdered Birna. He will remain in custody until the court will hear the case.
The maximum sentence for murder in Iceland is life in prison, which is in practice 16 years. The maximum sentence for the drugs trafficking Thomas has confessed to is 12 years.
Arrested on January 19
Thomas has been in custody since he was arrested on January 19 onboard the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq. Three other men were arrested at the same time on suspicion of being connected to the murder and the drugs which were found onboard the trawler.
Two of the men were released shortly thereafter but the second sailor remained in custody for two weeks while the case was being investigated. He has now been cleared of all charges.
Local girl disappeared in downtown Reykjavík
Birna Brjánsdóttir, who was born on November 28 1996, disappeared early in the morning of Saturday January 14 in downtown Reykjavík. Security cameras indicated that at 5:25 in the morning she had gone into a car which was later shown to have been rented by Thomas Møller. A second sailor from Polar Nanoq was in the car at the time.
It is not clear what happened in the car, or when Birna was murdered, but the second sailor is seen leaving the car at 6:10 where the trawler was docked. After the two speak for a while Thomas spends 25 minutes at the harbour, but is seen driving off at 7:00 and only returns to the ship at noon. Police suspect that Thomas assaulted Birna at the harbour.
The other sailor told police he had been very drunk during this night and that Thomas had tried to confuse him about the course of events.
Birna's shoes was found near the ship and her ID was found onboard the trawler. Her naked body was found on January 22 on a rocky beach on the south coast of Reykjanes peninsula 35 km (21.7 miles) from where the trawler was docked in Hafnarfjörður. Blood from her was found in the car Thomas had rented and signs of strangulation were found on her neck, but the cause of death was drowning, indicating that she was thrown unconscious into the sea.
Iceland Insider coverage of the case
Iceland magazine covered the case in detail as it unfolded in January. You can read our previous coverage here:
Tuesday Feb 7
Thomas Møller had previously been acquitted of raping an unconscious woman in Greenland
Read more: Man in custody suspected of murdering 20 year old local girl has previously been accused of rape
The cause of death, other disturbing details about Birna's death revealed.
Read more: Birna's cause of death was drowning. Body was found naked.
Monday Feb 6
Police has reportedly pieced together what happened on Saturday January 14.
Read more: Police believe they know when, where and how Birna was killed: Suspect in custody yet to confess
Search for clues near the place where Birna's body was found turns up empty
Read more: Case of Birna Brjánsdóttir: Hundreds participated in search for clues over the weekend
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?
The District Prosecutor has charged a 25 year old Greenlandic man, Thomas Møller Olsen, with the murder of 20 year old Icelandic girl Birna Brjánsdóttir. The case of Birna, who disappeared on January 14, gripped the Icelandic nation.
Life in prison
Thomas has also been charged with drugs trafficking. Pressed hashish worth at least one million USD was found on board the trawler Polar Nanoq, where he was a crew member. According to the local news site Vísir Thomas has confessed to the drug smuggling, but continues to deny having murdered Birna. He will remain in custody until the court will hear the case.
The maximum sentence for murder in Iceland is life in prison, which is in practice 16 years. The maximum sentence for the drugs trafficking Thomas has confessed to is 12 years.
Arrested on January 19
Thomas has been in custody since he was arrested on January 19 onboard the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq. Three other men were arrested at the same time on suspicion of being connected to the murder and the drugs which were found onboard the trawler.
Two of the men were released shortly thereafter but the second sailor remained in custody for two weeks while the case was being investigated. He has now been cleared of all charges.
Local girl disappeared in downtown Reykjavík
Birna Brjánsdóttir, who was born on November 28 1996, disappeared early in the morning of Saturday January 14 in downtown Reykjavík. Security cameras indicated that at 5:25 in the morning she had gone into a car which was later shown to have been rented by Thomas Møller. A second sailor from Polar Nanoq was in the car at the time.
It is not clear what happened in the car, or when Birna was murdered, but the second sailor is seen leaving the car at 6:10 where the trawler was docked. After the two speak for a while Thomas spends 25 minutes at the harbour, but is seen driving off at 7:00 and only returns to the ship at noon. Police suspect that Thomas assaulted Birna at the harbour.
The other sailor told police he had been very drunk during this night and that Thomas had tried to confuse him about the course of events.
Birna's shoes was found near the ship and her ID was found onboard the trawler. Her naked body was found on January 22 on a rocky beach on the south coast of Reykjanes peninsula 35 km (21.7 miles) from where the trawler was docked in Hafnarfjörður. Blood from her was found in the car Thomas had rented and signs of strangulation were found on her neck, but the cause of death was drowning, indicating that she was thrown unconscious into the sea.
Iceland Insider coverage of the case
Iceland magazine covered the case in detail as it unfolded in January. You can read our previous coverage here:
Tuesday Feb 7
Thomas Møller had previously been acquitted of raping an unconscious woman in Greenland
Read more: Man in custody suspected of murdering 20 year old local girl has previously been accused of rape
The cause of death, other disturbing details about Birna's death revealed.
Read more: Birna's cause of death was drowning. Body was found naked.
Monday Feb 6
Police has reportedly pieced together what happened on Saturday January 14.
Read more: Police believe they know when, where and how Birna was killed: Suspect in custody yet to confess
Search for clues near the place where Birna's body was found turns up empty
Read more: Case of Birna Brjánsdóttir: Hundreds participated in search for clues over the weekend
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?
