POL-CLP: Joint press release from the Oldenburg public prosecutor's office and the …

10.09.2024 – 08:02

Police Station Cloppenburg/Vechta

Cloppenburg/Vechta (ots)

+++ Newly founded homicide squad “Gajo 96” deals with cold case and addresses the public with a true crime short film +++ Europol supports investigations +++ Witnesses can also contact the case anonymously via a tips portal +++ 5000 Euro reward +++

Who murdered Nenad Gajanovic in August 1996? After 28 years, this question is now being investigated again by a homicide squad from the Cloppenburg/Vechta police station under the direction of the Oldenburg public prosecutor's office.

+++ Looking back to 1996 +++

On August 8, 1996, Jäger found the body of a 35-year-old man next to a red VW Golf in Dümmerlohausen in the Vechta district on what is now the L853. The victim, Nenad Gajanovic, had been murdered with several shots.

It is known about Nenad Gajanovic that he himself moved in criminal circles, committed burglaries in northern Germany and lived in Hamburg. In his circle he was called Gajo. One of his last places of residence was a hotel on Alexanderstrasse in Oldenburg (Oldb.), where he presumably went into hiding before his murder. The red VW Golf that was found had previously been stolen in Bad Essen. The victim came from the former Yugoslavia and had family ties there.

A homicide squad that was set up at the time was unable to solve the case and it was filed away. Today the murder is a cold case.

+++ Murder does not expire: The case was reopened in 2019 +++

In 2019, the investigation files, including the evidence secured, were re-examined and evaluated as part of a review of old, unsolved cases. New analysis methods and their results are now leading to a resumption of the investigation and, in 2024, to the establishment of the “Gajo 96” homicide squad. Named after the nickname of the murder victim and the year of his murder.

+++ True crime film with trigger warning +++

In collaboration with the Oldenburg Police Department, the Cloppenburg/Vechta Police Department has produced a short film. This is a first, as the film also provides insights into the murder case using original photos and excerpts from the investigation file. The film presents details of the murder case that have not previously been publicly available and is intended to increase awareness of the case. The film is intended to appeal to witnesses or those who knew about it who can provide information about the murder of Nenad Gajanovic. The viewer also gets a sense of how difficult the investigations into organized crime must have been. The short film also shows how cruel and insidious the crime must have been. The true crime production therefore also contains images, which makes a trigger warning necessary.

+++ Information portal, reward and contact +++

The Oldenburg Police Department has offered a reward of EUR 5,000 for information that leads to the clarification of the case and the arrest of the perpetrators. This reward will be awarded in agreement with the Oldenburg Public Prosecutor's Office.

The award and distribution of the reward will be decided within the framework of the exclusion of legal recourse. The reward is intended exclusively for private individuals who were not involved in the crime and not for public officials whose professional duty includes the prosecution of criminal offenses.

In addition, there is the option of receiving information confidentially. This means that an anonymous statement to the police can also be guaranteed.

Any other possible crimes related to the murder case, with the exception of homicide, have since expired. The homicide squad is accepting tips on the hotline 04471-1860-200 or at [email protected].

A tip-off portal has been set up on the website through which witnesses can contact the police anonymously. Files and images can also be uploaded there.

+++ Europol is supporting the investigation – the public can also help clarify the matter +++

The homicide squad is being supported in its investigations by EUROPOL, as it is assumed that the victim had close contacts with international organized crime and was even suspected of being part of it. It can therefore be assumed that the motive for the murder and the perpetrators are to be found in this environment.

In order to reach witnesses and possibly also those with knowledge of the murder case, the homicide squad is also relying on the support of the dependent population: citizens are asked to share the police posts on this matter on the well-known social media channels.

The police will report on the progress of the investigation and involve the public on social media. Citizens can show their support and actively participate in solving the case using the hashtag #gajo96.

You can stream the film on the police homepage: https://www.pd-ol.polizei-nds.de/dienststellen/polizeiinspektion_cloppenburg_vechta/themen/mordkommission-gajo-96-117701.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolizeidirektionOldenburg/?locale=de_DE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polizei.cloppenburg.vechta/?hl=de

X: https://x.com/Polizei_CLP_VEC

Please direct any queries to:

Police Station Cloppenburg/Vechta
PhD student Uta-Masami Bley
Press Office
Telephone: 04471/1860-104
Email: [email protected]
https://www.pd-ol.polizei-nds.de/dienststellen/polizeiinspektion_clop
penburg_vechta/welcome-to-the-police-station-cloppenb
urgvechta-33.html

Original content from: Police Department Cloppenburg/Vechta, transmitted by news aktuell