Man remanded in custody in Trondheim following suspicious death – three further arrests
A man in his 30s has been remanded in custody until 20 April after another man was found dead in Trondheim. Three additional persons have been arrested.
Four charged after death in Trondheim
According to NRK.no, police in Trøndelag have arrested a total of four men after a man in his 30s was found lifeless in a private residence in Trondheim at 5.15 on Friday morning. Police were alerted via the emergency services (AMK).
The first suspect, a man in his 30s, was brought before the court for a remand hearing on Monday at 1 p.m. The hearing was held behind closed doors. A court order published at approximately 8 p.m. on Monday evening states that the man is to be held in custody until 20 April, with restrictions on mail and visits and complete isolation for two weeks.
He is charged with abandoning another person in a helpless condition and with unlawful deprivation of liberty. The deceased was found in a residence belonging to this suspect, according to police.
The man's defence counsel, Knut-Erik Storlykken Søvik, told NRK that his client does not admit guilt in relation to the charges.
Three further arrests
In a press statement on Monday evening, police confirmed that three additional men have been arrested. A man in his 20s and a man in his 40s are charged with abandoning a person in a helpless condition and with unlawful deprivation of liberty. A third man in his 40s is charged with unlawful deprivation of liberty. Police will continuously assess whether these men should be remanded in custody.
Investigation in preliminary phase
Prosecuting counsel Monica Hanø in Trøndelag police district emphasises that the investigation is still in an early stage.
"We repeat that the investigation is in a preliminary phase and that the matter is being investigated on the basis of several hypotheses, including that no criminal act may have occurred. A number of digital items have been seized following searches, which we are continuing to work on," Hanø wrote in the press statement.
Prosecuting counsel Anne Haave, who requested four weeks' remand in custody for the first suspect, clarifies the timeline of the charges to NRK: the man is charged with unlawful deprivation of liberty during the night of Wednesday and with abandoning the person in a helpless condition during the night of Thursday – one day later.
The application for custody of four weeks with restrictions on mail and visits and two weeks' isolation was justified on the grounds of a risk of evidence being destroyed. The district court granted custody until 20 April, which is shorter than the prosecution's request.
Autopsy completed, results awaited
An autopsy of the deceased man has been carried out. Haave states that the preliminary findings will likely be available within a few days, while the final autopsy report has an unclear timeline. Police are continuing to review digital evidence, CCTV footage and seized items.
Further interviews of both the suspects and witnesses remain to be conducted, according to the press statement.
Police state that there is no known relationship between the first suspect and the deceased, and that both are known to police from previous matters. Haave declines to disclose the exact location in Trondheim where the man was found.
"We are continuing the investigation with sufficient resources. At this preliminary stage, we cannot share further details due to the requirements of the investigation," Hanø wrote.
Police deny that there is any danger to other residents and ask members of the public who have heard or seen anything relevant to make contact.