A 24-year-old man has reportedly been murdered in Norway after conducting an in-person peer-to-peer bitcoin trade for a large cash sum. Reports indicate the deceased’s body was discovered in his apartment in the Majorstuen neighborhood of Oslo.
According to sources, the murder was brutal with several stabs inflicted on the victim. Police sources told Norwegian media platform TV 2 there was probably a large cash sum kept in the apartment and that some of the people associated with the deceased were aware of this.
It was reported crime experts were still working on the scene as of October 17, with no suspects being yet identified or any arrests being made.
Testing Bitcoin’s Anonymity?
Grete Lien Metlid, Oslo Police Head of Intelligence and Investigations’ unit, hinted that the investigation was looking into a tip related to a bitcoin transaction, but declined to provide further information, stating the unit is going after all available leads.
Asked what motives the police are basing their investigation on, Metlid responded that her unit investigates in every possible way and that economic motives are one of the reasons to be considered.
Interrogators have conducted neighborhood surveys but declined sharing any information on testimonies given. They’ve also conducted searches around the garbage rooms and other areas of the apartment and are analyzing videos.
Transactions carried out using bitcoin generally offer a very high degree of anonymity, with user identification and tracking usually only possible through cooperation of centralized crypto exchange platforms.
The investigation by the Oslo Police will potentially give insights into just how anonymous blockchain transactions truly are, as they seek to unravel the identity of the people involved in the case.
No Clues
The last known observation of the deceased was on Monday, October 15. According to Metlid, two boys in the community stated they left the apartment at 07:50 for work and school. The deceased was supposed to meet them at 09:00.
His body was discovered by a roommate who alerted health services at around 12:05. The health services informed the police and the young man was confirmed dead. The police are trying to figure out what happened in the four hours between 07:50 and 12:15.
Despite receiving various tips, the time of murder is still yet to be ascertained and how the perpetrator or perpetrators gained access to the apartment remains uncertain. The police on October 16 received preliminary report of the autopsy carried out.
