Published: 07/07/25 | 18:17
Authorities are progressing their search for a young man that is suspected of a murder that took place in Mikkeli over the weekend. The man believed to be in his 20s is also suspected of committing a serious act of violence in Jyväskylä earlier the same day. According to police the investigation is being treated as a case of murder and aggravated assault.
The incident initially unraveled on Sunday morning July 6 when a fire broke out in a detached house on Tattalantie in the Otava area of Mikkeli. Emergency services discovered a deceased woman in the burned structure and police later confirmed the victim was a local woman born in the 1960s.
Although the exact cause of death remains under investigation, authorities have stated that the death resulted from a homicide. It remains unclear whether the woman died in the fire or before it began. At the scene a lime green Citroën vehicle was reported stolen and the car was located later on Sunday thanks to a public tip.
Police have released a facial image of the suspect which appears to have been taken during his military service based on his attire. While they have confirmed the suspect’s identity investigators are withholding specific details to avoid compromising the ongoing investigation and search efforts.
The suspect is also believed to have assaulted a taxi driver in Jyväskylä during the early hours of Sunday. Relevant to the attack he stole the victim’s vehicle which was later recovered. The driver sustained injuries requiring hospital care and hence this incident is also being investigated as aggravated assault.
On Monday the police expanded their search to areas surrounding Kangasniemi which is located between Mikkeli and Jyväskylä along Highway 13. Helicopters equipped with thermal imaging were seen scanning the region including near the Läsäkoski Manor which is a local tourist site approximately 20 kilometers from Kangasniemi.
Furthermore to operations in Kangasniemi authorities also carried out a search in the Kainuu Brigade in Kajaani during the night before Monday. This action was connected to the ongoing homicide investigation however the results of the search have not been disclosed. While the suspect’s possible links to the Kainuu Brigade such as having completed military service remain unconfirmed, police have acknowledged the military connection through the suspect’s photo.
Tuomas Lepoila, who is a Crime Inspector with the Mikkeli Police stated that the police have received several leads regarding the suspect’s movements. He also emphasized that revealing the suspect’s possible whereabouts might assist him in evading capture. Lepoila also stated that while the suspect can reasonably be considered dangerous due to the nature of the crimes there is no evidence to suggest he poses a broader threat to the public.
Authorities urge anyone who sees the suspect not to approach him but to immediately contact emergency services. According to police a cat was rescued from the house during the fire response and forensic investigations are still underway at the scene.
While the police continue gathering information and searching multiple areas including potential military connections they have not yet specified whether the homicide was premeditated or what the motive might have been.
