Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"The serial number on this gun has been removed. And apparently this wasn't just like filed off with a nail fight. You can't do that. You're professionally done using acid. And, here's the like interesting kicker, they find out that the gun was manufactured in none other than Belgium." — Ashley Flowers
"Interpol is basically like, 'We got nothing, guys. No hit in their system.' Jennifer is a ghost." — Ashley Flowers
"The fact that she put down an address in Belgium and a phone number, that address isn't real. That phone number is bogus too. The company she says she works for doesn't exist either." — Britt
The episode investigates the death of an unidentified woman, known as "Jennifer Fergate," found in Oslo Plaza Hotel room 2805 in 1995. The initial discovery involved a receptionist noticing an unpaid bill, followed by security being dispatched to the room, where a gunshot was heard. Upon forced entry, police found the woman deceased from a gunshot wound. The scene presented numerous anomalies: the room was double-locked from the inside, there was no identification, and personal effects were minimal or intentionally obscured (e.g., cut labels on clothing). The presence of a large quantity of ammunition, a 9mm pistol with a removed serial number manufactured in Belgium, and a lack of gunshot residue on the victim's hand raised suspicions beyond a simple suicide.
Further investigation revealed discrepancies in the hotel's registration process, including the lack of a credit card on file and no identification taken. The woman had extended her stay without providing payment or proper identification, and had added a second name, "Lois Fergate," to her reservation, though no trace of this individual was ever found. Security camera footage from the hotel was notably absent, a fact attributed by some to the police's initial conviction that the death was a suicide, thereby deeming the footage unnecessary. Belgium was identified as a significant location due to the gun's origin and the false information provided by the victim regarding her address and employer.
Decades later, investigative efforts by reporter Lars Kristian Vegner led to the exhumation of the body for DNA analysis, which yielded a profile but no immediate familial matches due to the lack of a comprehensive missing persons database in Belgium at the time. Isotope testing on her teeth suggested a connection to Germany, supported by the origin of some of her belongings. Further investigation into phone numbers she called revealed they were non-existent, adding to the enigma. A crucial detail was the discovery of an unusual inscription on a watch battery, potentially indicating a German connection. The case remained a profound mystery, with theories ranging from espionage to elaborate murder plots, underscoring the extreme lengths to which the victim went to conceal her identity.