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Mysterious skull discovery in Velten: Public prosecutor continues to investigate!
In April 2025, a human skull that was at least 70 years old was found in the Velten branch canal. Investigations are ongoing.
Mysterious skull discovery in Velten: Public prosecutor continues to investigate!
A skull was discovered in the Velten branch canal, which raises many questions and fuels the local police investigation. At the end of April 2025, divers from an explosive ordnance recovery service came across the well-packaged piece of bone while searching for ammunition. The skull was found in two plastic bags, one of these bags possibly belonging to a former HL market manufactured between 1965 and 2006. Curiously, the skull itself comes from a man who died at least 70 years ago, reinforcing the discrepancy between the age of the skull and the bag. It is possible that the skull was “reburied” after gardening work - a theory that is becoming increasingly popular.
The homicide investigators hope to find answers to unspoken questions through well-founded scientific analyses. An examination at the forensic medicine center in Vienna revealed that the skull belonged to a man from Central Europe who could have been between 35 and 65 years old. However, no damage was found that would indicate the effects of violence. As part of the investigation, a comparison was made with missing persons databases, but there were no matches here either. These findings shine a vulnerable light on the man's unclear past and the circumstances of his death.
A look into forensic DNA analysis
Forensic DNA analysis has undergone profound changes in recent decades. Advances in technology now make it possible to extract DNA samples from even the smallest remaining snippets and obtain relevant information. This is reported, among other things, by the website vdz.org, which addresses the development towards “forensic DNA phenotyping”, in which the age, external characteristics and geographical information of the person responsible for the trace can be predicted to a certain extent. vdz.org reports that…
The DNA analyzes carried out for this case were carried out at the Forensic Medicine Institute in Freiburg. But here too there is no breakthrough. There were no matches, adding to the mystery surrounding the man's identity. Why are the DNA samples obtained from the skull so difficult to trace? In Germany, intensive research is being carried out in various cases in order to clarify long-forgotten cold cases. There are many exciting aspects in the buildings from 1667 to 1954 that could shed more light on the image of the deceased and the circumstances of his fate.
Investigations and outlook
The Neuruppin public prosecutor's office has taken over further processing of the case. The rest of the body has not yet been found, requiring additional investigation. This unclear situation means that it remains unclear whether a crime has occurred. However, the police were able to rule out that the skull was that of Maike Thiel, who had been missing since 1997, which is a relief for the relatives.
The coming weeks could be crucial for clarification. While the homicide squad continues to investigate under high pressure, the investigators are hoping for new clues. The case remains exciting and impressively shows how complex the connection between the past and the present can be. It remains to be hoped that light will soon be shed on the darkness and the questions raised by the skull can be clarified.