37-year-old Michał S. has been arrested in connection with the murder of 13-year-old Iza Strzałkowska. The crime took place on 23 August 2011 in Gdynia. For 15 years, the perpetrator remained at large.
Who is the suspect?
Michał S. was regarded as an ordinary, well-organised man. He completed his studies, had a steady job, got married in 2018, and a few years later became the father of two preschool-aged children.
He was passionate about running – he regularly took part in marathons and local races, and posted photos from his routes on social media. He lived in Dąbrowa in Gdynia, just a few hundred metres from where the girl’s body was found.
He had never previously been known to the police.
How was he arrested?
The man was detained on 21 July as he was leaving home to take out the rubbish. After his arrest, he admitted guilt but refused to give explanations. His DNA fully matched the material secured at the crime scene.
The breakthrough in the investigation came from the method of genetic genealogy, which made it possible to narrow the circle of suspects after 15 years of searching.
Nature of the crime
13-year-old Iza Strzałkowska was murdered on 23 August 2011. The crime was of a sexual nature, and the cause of death was strangulation.
Michał S. faces a sentence of no less than 12 years’ imprisonment, and in the most severe variant, life imprisonment.
