A 24-year-old man vanished in 1998; 25 years later, authorities confirm he was murdered and hidden in a forest. His belongings were discarded in a river, and two suspects now face trial.
Crime Scene and Murder Details
Mark M., a 24-year-old man, disappeared in April 1998. Despite extensive searches, his body has never been found. Authorities concluded he was taken to a forest near Rożnow and Kowanówka, where he was strangled by hand and struck in the head with a metal lever. His corpse was hidden, and his belongings were thrown into a river, according to a statement by Prosecutor Łukasz Wawrzyniak of the Poznań Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
Indictment Filed Against Two Suspects
The case remained unsolved for years. Investigators recently revisited the case, reanalyzing documents and collecting new evidence. They identified 51-year-old Piotr Z. and 52-year-old Maciej P. as suspects. The prosecution states the motive was to conceal their involvement in a money-laundering scheme involving nonsufficient funds checks. The indictment has now been submitted to the court.
Arrest of Piotr Z. and Maciej P.
Piotr Z. was formally arrested in April of last year as part of the investigation. He had already been in custody for a multi-year sentence related to financial crimes and the use of violence. Z. admitted to murdering Mark M. Less than a year later, Maciej P. was detained and arrested. Gazeta.pl reported that P. had a prior conviction for drug possession and weapons-related offenses. P. denies involvement in the murder and the concealment of the victim’s body. Both suspects could face up to 25 years in prison. Key to the investigation were the testimonies of two witnesses who provided evidence under incognito protection due to security concerns.
Source: Gazeta, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7
