Hi guys,

In 2009, German authorities offered a €300,000 reward for the capture of “the woman without a face” who had left traces of her DNA at murders and major crime scenes for over 15 years, including the murder of a police officer in Heilbronn.

Investigators of the Heilbronn murder were shocked to discover that DNA found at the scene matched genetic material from dozens of other cases. The unknown Phantom of Heilbronn, as she was was dubbed, had committed crimes all across Europe, ranging from murder to burglary and vehicle theft. And her crime spree continued. Three corpses were dragged from a river near Frankfurt. Two men were convicted of their murder, but traces of the phantom’s DNA were also found in the car. If the men knew who she was, they weren’t telling.

The first sample from the serial killer was taken from the rim of a teacup belonging to a woman strangled with a piece of wire. The DNA was then traced to the bullet in a gun fired by someone else. It was found in cars, on used syringes, and on murder weapons galore.

But, despite the growing evidence, the police were stumped. They launched an intensive manhunt to find the woman, who was clearly dangerous. Late in 2009, however, they finally apprehended their suspect, only to find that the Phantom of Heilbronn was, in fact, an entirely innocent woman working in the factory that produced their DNA-testing kits.