LYON, France – A woman whose body was found in a rainwater collector 20 years ago in France has been identified by French authorities as Hakima Boukerouis.
The Gendarmerie Criminal Investigation Section based in Metz, France, which is leading the investigation, also confirmed the arrest of a suspect linked to her death.
The cold case was part of Identify Me, an international campaign coordinated by INTERPOL with six European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain) aiming to identify 47 women whose bodies were found in Europe over recent decades.
One of those cases, known as ‘The woman with the Richmond dental crown’ dated back to 7 January 2005 when the mutilated body of a woman was discovered concealed in a rainwater collector in the French village of Saint-Quirin. The victim had been wrapped in black rubbish bags tied with cords. She is believed to have died between September and October 2004.
For two decades her identity remained unknown, but a breakthrough came when the victim was identified using familial DNA searching.
This marks the first arrest linked to a case featured in the Identify Me campaign. As investigations and judicial proceedings are ongoing, limited details can be shared at this time.
INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said:
“This identification underscores how important it is to keep investigating unresolved cold cases. As part of the Identify Me campaign, the efforts of the French authorities have helped identify a murder victim whose case had remained open for many years.
“Progress like this also shows the real impact of making full use of available identification tools. INTERPOL remains committed to supporting its member countries in identifying unknown deceased persons and strengthening investigations through continued cooperation.”
This case is the fifth successful identification linked to Identify Me – a public appeal for information on the cold cases, which also provides an opportunity for case files to be reviewed and updated by investigators, with renewed calls for international cooperation and sharing of forensic information.
Details of each case are also published online and shared with the media, including facial reconstruction images and descriptions of personal objects or tattoos, in the hope that a member of the public might recognize something.
INTERPOL Black and Yellow Notices
Identify Me marks the first time INTERPOL has publicly shared extracts from Black Notices. These Notices are used to disseminate information globally on unidentified human remains, with the aim of determining the circumstances surrounding a death and identifying the individual. The shared information may include details such as the location of discovery, biometric data (DNA, fingerprints, facial images), dental records, physical descriptions of the body or clothing, and any other relevant details that can help identify the deceased.
INTERPOL’s Yellow Notices are another critical tool in the fight to identify missing persons. A Yellow Notice is a global police alert for cases of parental abduction, criminal kidnapping, or unexplained disappearances, which can increase the chances of a missing person being located, particularly if there is a possibility that the person might travel or be taken abroad.
Since 2021, INTERPOL has been providing investigators with a new global tool, the I-Familia database. It currently contains 32,000 DNA profiles from 82 countries and has already solved cases by helping identify unknown bodies through international family DNA kinship matching. This process relies on the voluntary DNA contributions made by relatives of the missing, which are used solely for the purpose of identifying missing persons and are not matched against criminal databases. Such cases underline the crucial role played by the public and partners in supporting these efforts.
The public appeal continues: 42 remaining cases
The Identify Me campaign continues, with 42 unresolved cases of unidentified women still seeking answers. We urge anyone who may have information, particularly those who remember a missing friend or family member, to visit our dedicated website at INTERPOL.int/IM and contact both INTERPOL and the relevant national authorities.
If you believe one of the deceased women may be your missing loved one, you can also reach out to your national police, who can then work with INTERPOL to facilitate international DNA comparisons and potentially bring answers to your family.
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