The Breakthrough on Netflix: A 16-Year-Long Murder Investigation in Sweden
‘The Breakthrough’ On Netflix, A Drama About A Real-Life Double Murder In Sweden That Took 16 Years To Solve.
When it comes to scripted series inspired by true crime, capturing the lengthy investigations that can span years or even decades is quite a challenge. It’s difficult to convey the passage of time without making the narrative feel hurried.
The new series about a notorious double murder in Sweden, which took 16 years to resolve, faces this very issue.
Opening Scene:
A father teaches his son about how the hands of a watch move. The Overview: In October 2004, a tragic double murder occurred in Linköping, Sweden, and it took 16 years to crack the case, thanks to advancements in DNA genealogy that weren’t available two decades ago. The Breakthrough offers a dramatized version of this investigation.
The story begins with the stabbing of an 8-year-old boy named Adnan (Marley Norstad) on his way to school. A woman named Gunilla (Anna Azcarate) stumbles upon the horrific scene and is also attacked, ultimately succumbing to her injuries in the hospital. Detective John Sudin (Peter Eggers) heads the investigation, optimistic that they will quickly identify the killer since the weapon was recovered and a witness named Karin (Annika Hallin) saw the assailant fleeing the scene.
His wife Anna (Emelie Falk), who is nine months pregnant, shares his hope, aware of how all-consuming murder investigations can be. However, complications arise. The DNA found on the knife doesn’t match any records in their database, and more critically, Karin struggles to recall the killer’s face despite having seen him run directly towards her. The trauma of the incident has left her unable to remember. As weeks pass without any significant progress, John approaches Adnan’s family to inquire if there were any religious motivations behind the specific location of the stabbing, but his questions yield little insight.
When he decides to enlist a hypnotist to assist Karin, he realizes he’s reaching for anything that might help. Our Perspective: Adapted by Oskar Söderlund from a book by Anna Bodin and Peter Sjölund, The Breakthrough aims to summarize a 16-year investigation in just four relatively brief episodes. While it’s clear that there were likely long periods of inactivity, the pacing of the first episode feels off, rushing through the initial months of the investigation as if only a few days have passed.
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In much of the first episode, John appears to be making little progress on the case, repeatedly expressing unwarranted confidence that they’ll soon catch their main suspect. We witness some of the actions he and the local police take, including consulting a profiler whose conclusions may have misguided the investigation.
The narrative suggests that John’s personal life is on the verge of collapse due to his fixation on the case, and that he will eventually meet a genealogist named Per (Mattias Nordkvist), who will guide him to the DNA databases that ultimately identify the killer. There’s a sense that the somewhat underdeveloped first episode will lead to a more densely packed second through fourth episode that rushes through time until John and Per’s paths cross. What we hope for is that once this phase of the investigation begins, the show will take its time to explore how the relatively new technology of DNA comparison with genealogy databases has proven invaluable in recent years.
5 chilling details about the 2004 double murder depicted in Netflix's The Breakthrough
1) Adnan Abbas and Gunilla Pairson were tragically killed
In the Netflix series The Breakthrough, it is revealed that both Adnan Abbas, aged 8, and Gunilla Pairson, aged 56, were fatally stabbed in a neighborhood. The assailant used a butterfly knife to attack them. Despite the immediate efforts of first responders, Adnan passed away unexpectedly. Gunilla, who attempted to protect the boy, was also stabbed by the attacker and succumbed to her injuries after being rushed to the hospital. Detectives noted that the killer selected his victims randomly and struggled with mental health issues, including severe anxiety and a repressed urge to commit violence.
2) The sole witness experienced deep trauma
The Breakthrough highlights the significant role of a woman named Karin, who witnessed the horrific events and the perpetrator firsthand. However, as depicted in the series, she was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt and remorse, which hindered her ability to remember the victims' faces. Eventually, through hypnosis, she managed to recall the murderer's appearance, leading to a sketch of the suspect, but it did not aid the investigation. In a poignant moment during her hypnosis, Karin recounts the traumatic scene: "I dismount and move forward …I hear the scream and then I see them. The back of the man thrusting his arm into the stomach of this poor woman repeatedly. No. No. No …I wanted to help …why didn’t I?"
3) The murderer confessed in a chilling manner
In The Breakthrough on Netflix, it was shown that David Nilsson, the man responsible for the murders of Adnan Abbas and Gunilla Pairson, quickly confessed during his interrogation, aided by genetic genealogy. He openly admitted to both murders and mentioned that he heard voices in his head urging him to commit the acts. David stated in the documentary:
"Well, I did it (brief pause). I murdered them. I only needed to kill two of them to find peace in my mind." (indicating his inner turmoil by pointing to his forehead with two fingers)
4) The killer experienced profound isolation
In episode four of The Breakthrough, it was revealed that David, the murderer, lived a life of extreme solitude. Over the last two years, he had made only six personal phone calls and sent a couple of texts, all directed to his brother. With both parents deceased, he led a life so secluded that it was as if he "didn’t exist," confined to a small area for years, as depicted in the show.
5) The murderer had ties to Stina, the journalist
As detailed in The Breakthrough on Netflix, when the investigation was nearing a transfer to the cold case unit, Francy, a police officer involved in the case, submitted the last few oral swabs to the database. One of these swabs matched the DNA of Stina, a journalist interested in interviewing John and Per, the genealogist. Once Stina’s profile was added, it became easier to narrow down the search for the potential killer.
Ultimately, Per concluded that either David or Stefan Nilsson, who are Stina’s cousins, was likely responsible for the crimes. Following this, Per wrapped up his analysis and brainstorming session, determining that either David or Stefan Nilsson, who are Stina’s cousins, could be the potential murderer. David matched the profile of the killer and was ultimately found guilty of the murders of Adnan Abbas and Gunilla Pairson.
