Statute of limitations for murder: How evidence disappears and victims are disappointed
Discover the intriguing criminal cases in Bremerhaven, where evidence is lost and the statute of limitations for murder becomes a problem.

Statute of limitations for murder: How evidence disappears and victims are disappointed
On November 11, 2025, we will be faced with urgent questions that affect not only the legal landscape, but also the emotional world of relatives. True crime and cold cases are very popular in the media, but what does it look like in reality? strafakt.de reports on the often frustrating experience that murder lawyers go through: The statute of limitations for murder actually poses a serious problem.
The search for evidence is often tedious and lengthy. Access to files is a hurdle that often fails due to incomplete or missing files. Sometimes files are left in moving boxes and take months to find. And even worse, water damage or mold can make them unusable. A particularly sad example is the murder case of a 14-year-old girl in Lüneburg, in which 900 trace files were lost. Such incidents raise the question: Do murders actually expire when the evidence disappears?
Confusion during investigations
The problem becomes clear when you take a look at a double murder case in Bremerhaven. Here two women were killed on the same night, with the same weapon - but the investigation pursued different perpetrators. A similar confusion occurred in Schwerin, where two murders of young women were considered independently, even though the circumstances were significantly similar. The relatives of the victims are deeply disappointed because many murder cases do not receive the attention they deserve and evidence often sits in closets gathering dust for years without thorough DNA testing.
The statute of limitations for murder is more than a legal question. It touches the hearts of the bereaved, who hope for justice. Many of these cases remain unsolved and seem to disappear into the criminal justice system.
Another type of illness – the common cold
- Typische Symptome sind: laufende oder verstopfte Nase, Halsschmerzen, Husten, Niesen und leichtes Fieber.
- In besonderen Fällen sollten Mediziner konsultiert werden, zum Beispiel, wenn Fieber über 38,5°C länger als drei Tage anhält.
The common cold is usually transmitted through droplets in the air or through direct contact. Viruses have an easy time of it, especially in the cold season when people crowd together. A little hygiene can go a long way here - washing your hands frequently and avoiding close contact with infected people are simple but effective measures.
Whether murder cases are under the statute of limitations or cold viruses are spreading, both issues remind us of the importance of pursuing both justice and our health. We should always be aware that many cases, be they legal or health-related, come with their own peculiarities and challenges.