A good 32 years after the murder of a teenager in Cologne, the police started mass genetic testing on Saturday. The investigators called on a total of around 350 men who in 1991 had a connection to the district of Poll on the right bank of the Rhine to participate. The recipients are asked to give a saliva sample to an elementary school. Preparations started there in the morning. The first people arrived at the test center that had been set up.

On October 16, 1991, 16-year-old Seckin Caglar got off a tram and disappeared on her way back from work. The next day her body was found behind a bush near the bus stop in Poll. The girl had been sexually abused and strangled.

Now the “Cold Cases” investigation group of the Cologne police has reopened the case. A large-scale publicity campaign started a few days ago with posters, flyers and a dedicated website so that potential witnesses could get in touch.

Traces of the killer’s DNA were found on the body. With the serial test, the police want to exclude people as perpetrators – and at best get the murderer on the ropes. According to the police, thanks to new analysis methods, it is now also possible to use a DNA sample to determine whether someone is related to the perpetrator.

Information from the police on the murder case