Anders Eklund

Case record: Anders Eklund

Anders Eklund (born August 6, 1965) was a Swedish murderer and rapist. He was convicted of killing a 31-year-old woman in 2000 and a 10-year-old girl in 2008. On October 6, 2008, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the two murders and for child pornography charges, and for one rape in Sandviken 2006.

Background

Anders Eklund became a highly noted and closely followed criminal case in Sweden during 2008.

Eklund was also a suspect in other murder cases currently under investigation, including the unsolved 1994 murder of Malin Olsson in Gothenburg.

The offence

Höglund murder

On April 5, 2008, 10-year-old Engla Juncosa Höglund went missing on her way home from football practice in Stjärnsund, Sweden. When she did not answer her mobile phone, Engla Höglund's mother, Carina Höglund, went looking for her.

Carina Höglund found her daughter's abandoned bicycle in the woods.

A person had taken photos after testing his new digital camera on the road and snapped a photo of Höglund on her way home. The photographer also snapped a photo of a car following the girl; the photo showed a red Saab 900 driven by Eklund.

After the photographer stepped forward, Eklund was arrested and told police where to find Höglund's body on April 13, 2008.

Höglund's death became headline news, as most people had high hopes of finding the girl alive.

Höglund's funeral on May 10, 2008 was broadcast live on television on SVT1.

Hellgren murder

On June 4, 2000, in Falun, 31-year-old Pernilla Hellgren was found murdered. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted.

A young girl on her way home had witnessed the attack and told investigators that she saw a man following Hellgren on her way home from a party in central Falun.

DNA found on Hellgren's body matched that of Eklund. Eklund confessed to both murders when he was presented with the evidence.

Investigation and arrest

Eklund was arrested after the photographer stepped forward regarding photos taken while testing a new digital camera. Eklund told police where to find Höglund's body on April 13, 2008.

Trial

Eklund's trial began on July 18, 2008.

He was charged with two murders, two rapes, and child pornography charges. He was found guilty in August and declared not mentally ill.

The first day of Eklund's trial at Stockholm district court was dedicated to the murder and rape of Pernilla Hellgren in Falun in 2000. Eklund admitted to raping Hellgren before killing her. Eklund had previously admitted to both killings when he was presented with DNA evidence from the Hellgren case.

Eklund also admitted to raping and strangling 10-year-old Engla Juncosa Höglund in Stjärnsund in April 2008.

Eklund appeared unmoved when the prosecutor detailed the injuries on Pernilla Hellgren's body when she was found.

Eklund initially claimed that Hellgren had consented to having sex with him. He later confessed that Hellgren had tried to flee and that the sex was not consensual.

"I grabbed her from behind or maybe I pushed her over."

He asked for forgiveness for the murder.

"She was not supposed to die," Eklund said before bursting into tears. "Forgive me," he repeated.

Eklund said:

"There was no logic. There is a kind Anders and an evil Anders."

Hellgren's father, Christer Lundin, attended court proceedings on Monday morning.

"It is a relief that it gets going so that we can seek closure and that Pernilla can rest in peace. The last few days have been emotional."

When asked by news agency TT how it felt to read the newspapers, Lundin replied:

"It is horrible to see new stories every day about what he did to my daughter. It has been enormously emotional."

Eklund had not read the newspapers in prison, but he had seen TV coverage. Eklund's lawyer, Leif Silbersky, said:

"He understands the enormous pressure he will be subjected to. I have tried to prepare him for the onslaught,"

Silbersky argued that Eklund could not be convicted of raping neither Pernilla nor Engla if he was also convicted of murder.

"The murder consumes the rapes. Jurisprudence dictates that one can not be convicted of both,"

The trial was expected to continue for four days in the secure room of Stockholm district court due to threats directed at Eklund.

Engla's mother, Carina Höglund, was to attend court together with the girl's step-father when her murder was considered by the court on Tuesday. Catharina Wikner, the family's counsel, said:

"They will be present at the indictment. The plaintiff can do so if, for example, they would want to express an opinion about the penalty to be served on the accused,"

Eklund stood accused of the aggravated rape and murder of 31-year-old Pernilla Hellgren in Falun in 2000 and 10-year-old Engla Juncosa Höglund in Stjärnsund in April 2008.

Sentencing

On October 6, 2008, Eklund was sentenced to life imprisonment for the two murders and for one rape in Sandviken 2006, and for child pornography charges.

Outcome

Eklund was found guilty in August and declared not mentally ill.

Other details

Eklund was described as a Swedish murderer and rapist.

Eklund's case was associated with other contemporaneous crimes, including the crimes of Christine Schürrer.