Poland’s Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal of Adam Z. in the 2015 death of Ewa Tylman, ordering a fourth trial in the perplexing criminal case.
The Case Reopened
The Court of Appeal in Poznań overturned the acquittal of Adam Z. regarding the death of Ewa Tylman, mandating a retrial by the court of first instance. This decision restarts one of Poland’s most enigmatic criminal cases of the last decade.
The appeal was heard on March 17, 2026, with arguments presented by the prosecution and the victim’s father, seeking the annulment of the March 2025 District Court ruling that acquitted Adam Z. for the third time.
Previous Rulings and Evidence
The appellate court sided with the appellants, overturning the acquittal and sending the case back to the district court for a new trial. Previous trials have been marked by controversy, with the District Court repeatedly finding the evidence circumstantial and insufficient to prove guilt.
Defense lawyers argued the appeal lacked merit and did not demonstrate errors warranting a retrial. Adam Z. did not appear at the appellate hearing.
The Disappearance and Investigation
The mysterious death of Ewa Tylman in Poznań has captivated public attention for years. Tylman disappeared on the night of November 22-23, 2015, after an evening with friends. Adam Z., a colleague, was the last person known to have seen her alive.
Months after her disappearance, Tylman’s body was found in the Warta River. The advanced state of decomposition hindered the determination of a precise cause of death, complicating the investigation.
Prosecution’s Case
Prosecutors allege Adam Z. caused Tylman’s death by pushing her from a bank into the Warta River while she was unconscious. He was charged with murder with eventual intent – meaning he foresaw the possibility of her death and accepted it. A conviction carries a potential life sentence.
Controversies and Key Evidence
The proceedings have been plagued by controversy, with the District Court consistently acquitting Adam Z. Judges emphasized the lack of direct evidence linking him to the crime.
A key point of contention involved police testimony claiming Adam Z. admitted during questioning to witnessing Tylman fall into the water. The defense argued this testimony was inadmissible due to the absence of legal counsel during the interrogation.
A Prolonged Legal Battle
The Court of Appeal’s decision initiates a fourth trial at the District Court in Poznań. Previous proceedings spanned years, involving hundreds of hours of hearings, numerous expert opinions, and forensic experiments.
The case has drawn significant public interest, with the victim’s family seeking closure and the courts repeatedly citing evidentiary doubts. The new trial will involve a re-examination of all collected materials in an attempt to determine what occurred on the banks of the Warta River in November 2015.