The Danish inventor accused of the horrific murder of a Swedish journalist on his submarine allegedly texted his girlfriend a description of the crime

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The Danish inventor accused of the horrific murder of a Swedish journalist on his submarine allegedly texted his girlfriend a description of the crime

Kim Wall Peter Madsen submarine Nautilus UC3

Reuters/Business Insider

Kim Wall and Peter Madsen, pictured aboard the Nautilus UC3 on August 10, 2017.

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  • Inventor Peter Madsen is accused of killing and dismembering Kim Wall, a journalist who was writing about him.
  • Wall was last seen alive in August, on a submarine Madsen had built himself.
  • A new account of her death includes texts Madsen allegedly sent detailing a "murder plan" with similarities to how Wall died.


The Danish inventor suspected of the horrific murder and mutilation of Swedish journalist Kim Wall allegedly sent his girlfriend a description of the killing a few days before it happened.

Peter Madsen, who is on trial for Wall's murder, detailed a violent fantasy of cutting up a woman on board his home-made submarine, the UC3-Nautilus, according to a report by WIRED.

Days later, he invited Wall onto his submarine, in response to a request she made to meet him so she could write an article about him.

kim wall peter madsen

Reuters

Kim Wall and Peter Madsen.

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The two set sail together on August 10 last year for what was meant to be a brief trip, but only Madsen returned alive. Wall was found dismembered days later.

According to Danish prosecutors, Madsen killed Wall on board the submarine then cut her body into pieces and threw them into the sea. The submarine then sank, but Madsen escaped.

The article by WIRED author May Jeong was published last week, and goes into an unprecedented amount of detail about the circumstances surrounding Wall's death, including interviews with those close to Madsen.

One was described by Jeong as "a friend and recent sexual partner of Madsen's," and described texts she had been sent which echo the situation in which Wall found herself.

The woman recounts an exchange where she jokingly asked Madsen to threaten her as a way to motivate her to finish a work project. Here's how WIRED reported it:

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"The conversation began as a casual sexual exchange but quickly escalated. She read the texts to me, translating into English as she went.

"'He says he has a murder plan ready in the submarine, and I tell him I am not afraid, you have to be more threatening. He talks about the tools he wants to use, and I say, 'Oh it's not threatening.'

"The scenario darkened to inviting a friend to the submarine, where they would suddenly change the mood and begin cutting her up.

"At the time, the woman didn't give the exchange much thought; it was not something she took seriously. After a lull in the back and forth, she responded by sending him a video of horses. The moment passed. The police now have the texts."

Madsen is due to go on trial again at the beginning of March in Copenhagen.

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Nautilus UC3 Peter Madsen Kim Wall

AP

The Nautilus UC3 rusts behind a fence and police tape after being pulled up from the sea floor for investigation.

As Business Insider reported in January, prosecutors published a full indictment against Madsen which gave further details about the alleged murder.

It said Madsen's actions were pre-planned, and tortured Wall with a variety of tools including a saw, knife, screwdrivers, and body restraints before killing her. He is also accused of sexually abusing her.

Click here for Business Insider's full coverage of Kim Wall's disappearance and Madsen's trial.