Brattås double murder trial: Defendant maintains innocence

A 45-year-old man appeared in Ångermanlands tingsrätt to face charges for the 2005 double murder of Gärd Viklund and Tor Öberg in Brattås. The case, which remained unsolved for years, saw a breakthrough through the use of DNA-based genealogical research, a method enabled by recent legislative changes.

The defendant maintains his innocence, claiming he arrived at the scene by chance after hearing screams and witnessed two men fleeing in a vehicle. He admitted to moving the victim's body into a barn, stating he acted out of “panic and shock” because he feared being suspected.

Prosecutors argue the evidence remains strong despite the defendant's testimony. Investigators previously linked the man to the crime scene after finding his DNA inside a handbag belonging to the deceased woman. The prosecution contends that the defendant's shifting accounts and failure to disclose the DNA evidence earlier do not weaken the case.