Seek success in Velten: Skull found - who is the victim?

Seek success in Velten: Skull found - who is the victim?

The investigation around the enigmatic skull, which was discovered in a channel in Velten (Oberhavel) at the end of April 2025, take a new turn. After an intensive search for other human remains, the Neuruppin public prosecutor finds that no additional bones could be found. Chief Prosecutor Andreas Pelzer confirmed that the search has ended and there is currently no new information about the condition of the skull or his identity. The skull was discovered on April 25 during the preparatory bridge work in the Velten Knz Canal, packed in a bag and complained with a stone.

The investigation by the public prosecutor and forensic medical examinations are still underway and aim to clarify possible connections to missing cases in the region. In particular, the public prosecutor checks whether the skull is connected to the person who has been missing from Rathenow for a year or with a heavily pregnant 17-year-old woman who has disappeared in Oberhavel in 1997. According to the current findings, however, it has already been ruled out that the skull belongs to the missing young woman whose body has never been found, as well as the missing man from Rathenow.

ambiguities and ongoing investigations

The question of whether the skull belongs to a man or a woman remains unclear. According to the reports of N-TV, it is still being checked whether there are connections with other missing cases in the region, while a DNA examination has already shown that the skull is not connected to the murder case of the heavily pregnant woman from Hennigsdorf. Investigators have thus taken an important step in the education of potential crimes, but further analyzes will also be required.

Currently around 200 to 300 missing person cases are to be processed in Germany, which underlines the urgency of the investigation in these cases. In Berlin, for example, 93 people are still missing from July 1, 2023, while 448 cases are open in Brandenburg. The clarification rate in Berlin is 98 %, which means that most cases can be clarified relatively quickly. Nevertheless, it is often problematic, especially if the missing persons are among the adults who do not always lead to a search.

The causes are diverse about the background of the missing persons. In adults, these are often personal problems, while family or school difficulties mostly play a role in minors. The Berlin police have also spent several cases in which public searches are being searched for. This increases the pressure on the investigators and shows how important fast action is in the case of missing persons.

The situation around the skull find in Velten remains tense and emotionally stressful for the relatives of affected people. The investigation continues and the hope of further positive developments remains.

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