BTU expert Dr. Thomas Fischer in ARTE report on unsolved murder cases from the 1980s

While the first case concerned the murder of 13-year-old Katrin in 1989, the second case concerned the murder of 33-year-old family man Colin Adamson from Scotland on December 18, 1983, who was killed during a work assignment in Celle, Lower Saxony. His body was found burned in the trunk of his car, which was found by walkers in a forest between Groß Hehlen and Hustedt. The exact cause of death remains unclear and the investigation is facing major challenges.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Fischer is an expert in forensics and involved his students on the Forensic Sciences study program at BTU in reopening the investigation into Colin Adamson's murder. Using state-of-the-art technology - including a laser scanner to create a 3D model of the crime scene by comparing the images of the crime scene taken at the time - they were able to simulate the burning of the car in the forest. This made it possible to determine the exact location of the vehicle and clarify the question of when and for how long the car was set on fire. The 3D scans were carried out by the Mittweida University of Applied Sciences.

The collaboration between Prof. Dr. Fischer and retired homicide investigator Karsten Bettels as part of his "Cold Case Analysis Project" , which was founded in 2017, led to a precise reconstruction of the course of the crime with the involvement of international students. Shots heard in the woodland in question confirm the suspicion that Colin Adamson was shot first. According to investigator Bettels, there may have been bullets in the soft ground. Together, Bettels and Prof. Dr. Fischer continued to discuss the case in the BTU Cottbus fire laboratory in order to initiate a reopening of the case and present further information to the bereaved relatives.

The results of these simulations and analyses are now being reviewed by the police and the public prosecutor's office to decide whether the case will be officially reopened. The ARTE report impressively shows how innovative forensic methods can help to solve old, unsolved cases and highlights the importance of the scientific work of Prof. Dr. Fischer and his team at BTU.