'Murder of Swedish prime minister solved thanks to AI'
On Feb. 28, 1986, then Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot dead on the streets of Stockholm with his wife after a visit to the cinema. A perpetrator could never be linked to the cowardly murder (he was shot in the back) with 100 percent certainty, but of course many theories circulated. But conclusive evidence was always lacking. Now, however, a good 38 years later, there seems to have been a breakthrough in this murder case thanks to the use of artificial intelligence.
Swedish documentary filmmaker Jon Jordas now comes up with a new suspect supported by AI. Indeed, based on a photograph produced via artificial intelligence, Christer Pettersson is re-emerging as the prime suspect. This man was initially seen as a possible suspect, but was quickly dropped from the list. Through the use of AI, he is now possibly identified as the only real perpetrator of the 1986 murder of the Swedish prime minister.
Main suspect is no more
At his own expense, the passionate documentary filmmaker had the new photo composite made based on witness statements from the time and photos on file. There were more than 20 witnesses to the murder at the time, and based on all these statements, he had AI create a robotic photo. And that one looks suspiciously a lot like Christer Pettersson.
Reopening of the dossier?
Pettersson was questioned by Swedish investigators a total of five times between 1995 and 1998, but stepped out of the life in 2008 when police rang his doorbell with a search warrant. Police removed Pettersson as a possible suspect after his suicide. But so now that turns out to be possibly unjustified. At the time, the man lived in the neighborhood where the murder was committed and he also had a gun license for a .357 Magnum, like the revolver with which Palme was killed.
Investigative journalist Jordas has since recorded his theories in a new book. But the investigation will not be reopened for now, according to an official message from the prosecutor's office.
(FVDV for Tagtik/Source: The latest book on the murder of Olof Palme - Dailymail/llustration picture: Pixabay)