2017

August 10-11

The freelance Swedish journalist Kim Wall was murdered on August 10th or 11th, while boarding a submarine with the intent of interviewing its owner, Danish entrepreneur and amateur rocket builder Peter Madsen. On August 12, she was reported missing under suspicious circumstances as the submarine sank off the coast of Copenhagen. After being rescued from the water, Peter was arrested on suspicion of killing Kim Wall and deliberately sinking the submarine. He claimed to have dropped Kim off on an island near Copenhagen.

August 21

A passing cyclist found a torso washed up on a beach in the southwest of Amager. The torso then went under investigation and got identified as Kim Wall’s. Danish police forces stated that they believe the 40-tonne submarine was deliberately sunk by the murderer Peter Madsen as traces of blood matching Kim’s blood have been found inside the submarine.

September 5

Peter Madsen claimed in a hearing via video that he had not killed Kim Wall, but she was instead struck by falling hatch over in an accident.

September 8

The court rejected Peter Madsen’s appeal and ruled that he should continue to be detained.

October 3

A post-mortem examination found fifteen stab wounds on Kim Wall’s body. An examination of the suspected killer Peter Madsen’s computer uncovered material featuring women being tortured and killed. Peter claimed that he was not the only person with access to the computer in his workshop, and the extreme content did not belong to him. The Copenhagen Court decided on detention of Peter for four more weeks.

October 6

Assisted by police dogs, police divers found two plastic bags in Køge Bay containing Kim Wall's head, legs, clothes and a knife.

October 7

A post-mortem examination performed on Kim's head showed no signs of blunt trauma, so the cause of death was not determined yet. Subsequently, Madsen changed his story, admitting to dismembering Kim's body in panic but he denied that he deliberately killed her. He claimed that Kim may have died after poisonous exhaust gases entered the submarine while he was on the deck.

October 12

Police forces found a saw in the water which is suspected to have been used in Kim Wall’s murder by Peter Madsen.

November 21-29

Police divers found Kim Wall's arms in the bay of Copenhagen.

2018

January 16

Peter Madsen was charged with murder, indecent handling of a corpse, and sexual assault. The prosecution charged him for having tortured Kim Wall before killing her by cutting her throat or strangling her.

March 8

On the first day of his trial, Peter Madsen told the court that Kim Wall died when the air pressure suddenly dropped and toxic fumes filled his vessel on the night of August 10th, 2017, while he was up on deck.

March 22

The coroner testified that Kim Wall may have been strangled or had her throat cut, and did not die in an accident as the suspected murderer Peter Madsen claims. She also added that the air seems not to have been able to leave Kim’s lungs, which is not the case with lack of oxygen or inhalation of gases.

April 22

Peter Madsen was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by Copenhagen City Court for the murder of journalist Kim Wall.

August 10

People around the world took part in charity runs called ‘Run For Kim’ in tribute to Swedish journalist Kim Wall and bring light to her case.

October 8

Peter Madsen was sentenced to imprisonment for life for murdering Kim Wall, and hegave up his fight for reduced jail sentence. He decided not to appeal his sentence to the Supreme Court.

November 11

Kim Wall’s parents Ingrid and Joachim Wall published a book - A Silenced Voice - in honor of Kim Wall’s life.

2020

September 9

In a documentary broadcast, Peter Madsen admitted to having murdered Kim Wall for the first time.

October 20

Sentenced to life imprisonment Peter Madsen broke out of prison after taking a female psychologist hostage with a gun and threatening the security with having a bomb belt. The guards let Peter go, considering the hostage is in danger of death. Chairman of the Prison Association, Bo Yde Sørensen, testified that the prison officers saw Peter jumping into a seemingly random white van. Shortly after, Peter Madsen was apprehended by police forces.