Munich, April 3, 2026 – The disappearance of Sonja Engelbrecht in 1995 marked the beginning of one of Munich’s most enduring unsolved murder cases. For decades, the 19-year-old’s fate remained a mystery, classified as a cold case. However, a series of discoveries beginning in 2020 has brought new life into the investigation, even as police grapple with the complexities of decades-old evidence.
Discovery of Remains Reopens Cold Case
The turning point arrived in 2020 with the discovery of a thigh bone in a forest near Kipfenberg, north of Ingolstadt. In 2021, forensic analysis confirmed the bone belonged to Sonja Engelbrecht. This breakthrough, 26 years after her disappearance, sent a wave of renewed hope through the police department, as recalled by retired homicide detective Helmut Eigner.
Eigner, though not directly involved in the initial investigation, described the news as
