Piia Irmeli Ristikankare (born 18 December 1972[1]) was a 15-year-old girl from Piikkiö, Finland who disappeared on 7 October 1988.[2] Her disappearance is among the most famous unresolved disappearance cases in Finland.[3]
Piia Ristikankare | |
|---|---|
| Born | Piia Irmeli Ristikankare December 18, 1972 |
| Disappeared | October 7, 1988 (aged 15) Piikkiö, Finland |
| Status | Missing for 36 years, 1 month and 15 days |
Disappearance
edit7 October was a normal Friday school day for Ristikankare, who was studying housekeeping at a vocational school.[4] She had arranged a sleepover with a friend in Paimio, but had to cancel it because her 3-year-old brother needed a babysitter that night. Piia's parents were divorced and her mother had moved out of the family home a couple of years earlier.[5]
On the night of the disappearance, the family's father was in the sauna with his father-in-law while Piia Ristikankare was spending time with her brothers, aged 3 and 14. The teenagers got into an argument over television programmes and Piia went out, probably taking a small bag with some money in it with her. She has not been seen since.[1][6]
Several clues to the case have been reported and false sightings of Piia Ristikankare were also made after her disappearance.[7][8] The case was taken over by the National Bureau of Investigation in 2003. According to a childhood friend, Piia had been bullied at school because of the family's religious orientation. The Ristikankare family are Jehovah's Witnesses.[9] They continued living in the house from which Piia Ristikankare disappeared after the disappearance, despite several police raids.[10]
Piia Ristikankare was officially declared deceased in absentia in 2011. The date of her death was marked as 1 January 2011.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Piia Ristikankare, 15, katosi 30 vuotta sitten – aktiiviset murhatutkimukset aloitettu nyt uudelleen: "Jos joku tulee tunnonvaivoihin" - MTVuutiset.fi". mtv.fi. April 26, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "Erikoisraportti: Onko oudossa kirjeessä ratkaisu murhamysteeriin? "Tajuttoman tuntuista tyttöä oltiin kantamassa henkilöautoon" - MTVuutiset.fi". mtv.fi. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "Isä ei enää usko kadonneen Piian löytyvän: "Piia ei tule mun työ, minä menen Piian luo"". turkulainen.fi. August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ Mari Julku: Isän shokki vaihtui suruun. Iltalehti 6. lokakuuta 2018, Viikonvaihde s. 14. Alma Media.
- ^ a b "Piia Ristikankare lähti kotoaan 30 vuotta sitten ja katosi jäljettömiin, jotkut väittävät nähneensä Piian katoamisiltana – "Meille on tullut ihan valtava määrä vihjeitä" - MTVuutiset.fi". mtv.fi. October 15, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "Perjantai-dokkari: Piia ei koskaan palannut". yle.fi. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ "Tehdäänkö tutkinnassa pian läpimurto? Piia Ristikankareen katoamisesta poliisille uusia mielenkiintoisia vihjeitä – "Koetamme ratkoa, pitävätkö huhut paikkansa"". MTVUutiset.fi. October 19, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
- ^ "Såg "Tom från Borås" ett flickmord?". Aftonbladet.se. October 18, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ "Mitä Pia Ristikankareelle tapahtui? Taiteilija Ilona Niemen elämään heijastuu yhä lapsuudenystävän katoaminen". Seura.fi. September 2, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "Yli 30 vuotta sitten Piia, 15, lähti kotoa ja katosi – tänä vuonna ruumiskoirat kävivät isä-Heikin kotona: "Oli se tavallaan mulle helpotus"". IS.fi. November 16, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2021.