The case of Ewa Tylman, who disappeared in 2015, is once again before a Polish court as prosecutors appeal the latest acquittal of Adam Z.
Over a Decade of Uncertainty
More than 10 years after Ewa Tylman’s death, the case remains unresolved, with ongoing doubts and no final court decision. On Tuesday, the case of Adam Z. will once again be heard in a Poznań court.
The Poznań Court of Appeal is set to review appeals against the acquittal of Adam Z. regarding Tylman’s death, issued last year by the Poznań District Court. Prosecutors are seeking to overturn the verdict and send the case back to the court of first instance for retrial.
The Disappearance and Investigation
Ewa Tylman went missing in November 2015, and her body was recovered from the Warta River several months later. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, forensic experts were unable to definitively determine the cause of death. The indictment alleges that on November 23, 2015, Adam Z. pushed Tylman from an embankment and then threw her, unconscious, into the water.
The alleged murder by Adam Z., with eventual intent, carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment.
Repeated Trials and Acquittals
The Poznań District Court has heard the case three times, each time acquitting Adam Z. The first two verdicts were overturned by the Court of Appeal, and the case was sent back for reconsideration.
The first trial of Adam Z. began in January 2017. The accused did not speak to the media, and only commented on the case and proceedings last year – after the third acquittal by the Poznań District Court.
Adam Z.’s Statements
“I would like to know what happened there (…) I have already tried many things to find out what could have happened, but I do not know. I do not remember,” Adam Z. told reporters.
When asked if he had rebuilt his life, he replied: “I am coping. I have a job, I have a place to live, so it’s good.” He acknowledged that the accusations still haunt him, stating, “Someone will write to me on Facebook or other social media platforms that I am a murderer, a killer, that I will be in jail tomorrow. So yes. But most of the comments are still positive towards me.”
The Family’s Plea for Answers
Adam Z. stated that Ewa Tylman was a very good colleague. When asked if he missed her, he replied: “Of course, I miss her. She helped me a lot in my work, so it’s natural.” When asked if he understood the grief of Ewa Tylman’s father, who does not know the exact circumstances of his daughter’s death after so many years, he said: “I do not have children and probably will not have them. I can try to understand.”
Following the verdict last year, Ewa Tylman’s father, Andrzej, declined to speak to the media. Previously, during the trial, he emphasized that despite the lengthy investigation and three trials, the family still does not know the exact circumstances of the 26-year-old’s death.
Father’s Demand for Justice
As the third trial of Adam Z. concluded, Andrzej Tylman emphasized that he still hoped for justice. After the closing arguments and leaving the courtroom, Andrzej Tylman was asked by reporters if a conviction of Adam Z. for failing to provide assistance would be satisfactory to him and his family after many years. “Let him feel what we feel. Let him know that he is not unpunished,” he said.
He added that Adam Z. “should finally stand up and say what happened there. He does not want to say it. He is afraid. It is visible that he is afraid – because he knows everything. That is his secret and he does not want to talk about it. He has a lawyer and relies on that,” Andrzej Tylman emphasized.
Court’s Reasoning and Expert Opinions
In justifying last year’s acquittal of Adam Z., Judge Andrzej Klimowicz began by addressing the Tylman family. He emphasized that “the entire court wanted to express its sympathy to the Tylman family and convey that the court is truly sorry that it was not possible to provide answers and establish the circumstances of the victim Ewa Tylman’s death.”
Legal expert Łukasz Chojniak, from the University of Warsaw, commented that the case is an example of a case that “was conducted in a very bad way.” He clarified that this does not necessarily mean the defendant is guilty but rather that the case was poorly prepared, leading to repeated trials.
Chojniak noted that the case remains captivating due to its lack of clarity and the presence of mystery. He also pointed out that initial investigative actions were carried out with a blatant violation of the defendant’s right to defense.
Timeline of Events
Ewa Tylman was last captured on city surveillance cameras on the night of November 22-23, 2015, around 3:20 a.m. near ul. Mostowa, before the Rocha Bridge. She was returning from a company event with Adam Z. Following her disappearance, posters with her photo and a request for help in finding her appeared throughout Poznań.
Police repeatedly checked and searched the Vistula River area, reviewed surveillance footage, and questioned people who had seen the woman on the day she disappeared. The search involved the fire department, the RP Special Diving Group, and a private detective agency hired by the family. Boats, sonar, drones, a thermal imaging camera helicopter, mounted patrols, and even a sewer exploration robot were used.
