Original subtitles

My family needs certainty.

We want to be able to bury her.

I'm going to Weesenburg again.

- Why? - To check their progress.

With their claim that I killed Barbara?

The files are incomplete and full of mistakes review them all.

- You're retired. Before you alone... - I'm not alone.

We know Becker met your sister shortly before she disappeared.

He fled when his house was searched

He committed suicide in detention for a harmless charge.

Why was the house so important to him, even after his death?

- We have to get in there. - It's too risky.

DARK WOODS

This was all there back then...

There was stowage in the roof slope Didn't you find it?

I would have, but Lohse cancelled the search. This goes back to the. s06

Why didn't you take the Betamax tapes tapes with you?

They. Not me

We mainly found VHS tapes, nothing like this. Porn and S&M.

They probably thought it irrelevant Unbelievable.

There's a photo here. It's from the 90s, after Barbara disappeared.

She contacted him via his ad.

Let's find out who she is

Maybe we'll find out what he wanted from Barbara

We were in the middle of the forest.

He grabbed me and pushed me

like a child who doesn't know his own strength.

Here.

I couldn't breathe, so...

he let go and..

Smiled at me.

Like a boy who made a mistake.

He was was like that sometimes

Very special.

How long did this go on between you two?

Not long We both had families.

But it was...

intense.

An adventure.

I let him get away with away with way too much

Not everything, but...

Where did you draw the line?

Money. He always needed money.

Gave him money.

Even him my credit card. Him my credit card. gave

And then..

He wanted to blackmail my husband.

He wanted to stage a kidnapping while we were out together.

I immediately broke off contact.

Why didn't you go to the police?

One doesn't immediately go to the police.

Juergen had his problems, but..

He always treated treated me well.

I must go. Was I helpful?

Yes.

Thanks for coming.

May I keep this?

We'd rather you didn't. - Okay.

- See you. - See you.

I know my way out. Thanks.

Juergen Becker had several cars

He drove hundreds of kilometres every year He couldn't afford that with his job.

She said he always needed money.

This is where your sister comes into play.

No.

I don't think she would have let herself in for this

She was single.

She had a rich ex-husband.

If Juergen Becker got his money this way...

your sister perfectly fits his scheme.

That doesn't mean she agreed to it.

Good night

You made us wait.

I'm very sorry.

You're sorry? Really?

- Your mummy told you to be punctual. - Yes, she always told me that.

You must be punished.

Please don't be mean. I'll never do it again.

I pro...

She also has a daughter, my granddaughter Theresa.

Barbara disappeared on 14 August 1989.

It's been almost four years.

I don't know where she is.

And the police can't help me.

He also recorded many broadcasts about the Iseforst murders.

Now, the incredible.

While the police were at the site where the first corpses were found, 800 metres...

We know what that t means, right?

Shot by the same perpetrator.

The victims were Merit Liebermann and Anton Holt.

My sympathy to the surviving family /members

- Good night - Sleep well.

Robert?

Are you unwell again?

I don't know why I did it.

Why?

Why...

did I always work?

Why didn't I marry you?

Why don't we have children?

- Should I have insisted? - Maybe.

I didn't want to force you into it.

I always thought it didn't matter to you.

You could have left.

You know, Robert..

Never t thought you'd leave thought you'd leave Barbara for me.

And when you did...

Was the happiest girl in the world.

I knew it would be rough for your family.

But I didn't care.

Wanted you.

How are you?

Stake out?

- You look good. - Why are you doing this?

Remember what I said 20 years ago? The swamp of Lower Saxony?

It didn't work, even even then.

What mud do you want to stir up?

What mud? Are you scared of what we'll find?

- You were there. - I'm not anymore.

You've grown up in Hamburg.

You could have come too.

- How is your son? - We have a good relationship

What about you?

No children.

Too bad.

Why didn't you investigate further? At least against Robert Neder?

It makes no sense.

Was Becker an informant of yours?

- As I said, be careful. - Why?

Becker cut this article out in 1967. "Cyclist Murdered.

She was shot with a small calibre.

Shortly afterwards, two teenage boys were seen.

Becker was 14 and Heiner Mertens was 11. That fits.

There were 33 unsolved homicides around Weesenburg in the 80s.

19 had applicable evidence.

There are three centres here, here...

And in Iseforst. - And in Iseforst

But does that fit?

Becker only killed women. In Iseforst, we have men too.

Maybe he wanted the men to watch

Or the women to suffer, watching them die.

It depends who he shot first.

Couples? Did he want to punish his parents?

We still have that map from the secret room.

Wait.

If this is right...

Becker killed five people in the summer of '89. Within six months

He wanted to kill 25 years prior Or he already had.

It was there. Everything was was there.

Had they done a better job, your sister might be alive.

- Becker's files vanished, the cars... - It's like the NSU murders.

Yes!

Yes, everything fits.

Even the Iseforst murders.

How many times have we done this now?

Can you see anything I don't?

What happened to the forensics' foils from the Iseforst victims' cars?

Why Iseforst?

Juergen Becker may be the Iseforst murderer too.

There was no analysis, as the hair had no roots, Mr Bethge.

Analyses have become more advanced.

What about dander?

The perpetrator's dander has to be on the foils.

You could...

I know you're trying to help us

Your sister's been missing for 30 years Now you construct a serial killer.

I don't work and live in the past. But the present.

How old are you now?

75

Why not stop and enjoy your twilight years?

Enjoy my twilight years?

Knowing that you could find my sister but won't?

Shame on you.

- As your colleague... - We're not colleagues

This stops now.

What did you find out about their activities?

I'll call the police president in Hamburg.

Go ahead. I'll be right there.

Miss Bach?

Is this you?

Have you been investigating in another state, in your free time?

- Who said that? - Is that correct?

I'm helping your former boss find his sister. That's correct.

You're putting me in a tight spot.

Must t ask you to stop.

With all due respect to Bethge

HANNOVER MEDICAL UNIVERSITY HANOVER

Gerke, Weesenburg Crime Squad Thanks for your time.

Welcome to Hanover, the big smoke.

In the 90s you received evidence from Weesenburg, concerning a Becker case.

I'd have to take a look. I don't remember.

- The Iseforst murders? - Yeah, we have some evidence.

We need the foils from the victims' cars for a DNA check.

Two blond hairs should be there too.

Okay, I'll have a look. When will you come back?

Can wait.

Yes, you'll have to.

There also were handcuffs amongst Becker's items.

I'm sure they were they were sent here

Don't hope for too much.

In the early 90s documentation was a foreign word

I don't have support anymore. But I'm supposed to say hi.

I'm sorry.

You can't do that. - She can and she has to

You know that yourself.

Quit now and all those years were for nothing.

Not for nothing, but too late.

We could have found her in 1989 if you'd bent the rules.

- That's not true. - You called me off.

So don't blame me.

What happened?

We won't find her. They're deserting me.

They helped you for years

- I was wrong about them. - Thomas! Don't be so self-righteous.

Self-righteous? Tell that to my dead mother.

Or my niece who won't speak to her father.

Or Robert who has been a murder suspect for 30 years

Maybe it's a blessing

I'm not sure I still want to know what happened to her.

If she suffered.

Stop. - In her last hours, her last minutes.

If she was was scared, if she fought.

How does it help us to find out how she was killed?

Yes...

Let's stop, then.

Book us a holiday.

As far away as possible. Four weeks.

I will.

I finally wanted to bury Barbara.

We made it so far.

You did it. What else do you want?

I've got something for you.

- What's that? - The handcuffs.

They were in Hanover. From Becker's house.

With dark splashes

And...

We were were lucky.

They were stored with the evidence from the Iseforst murders. By mistake.

Why are you doing this?

Because I'm a good policeman

But you're still an idiot.

Whether that's blood...

Yes, it is.

It's blood. No doubt.

- Is it about your sister? - I'm trying to find her.

- Without Weesenburg's prosecutor? - Despite him.

What's changed?

My conscience.

What you need is a DNA-comparison.

We still have your mother's blood here

How long do you need?

At least three weeks. I'll call you.

Okay. Thanks

Three weeks.

There's something else.

Becker's wife died and Kantor sold the house.

A lot can happen in three weeks.

Bethge.

Yes, Professor Fischer.

Yes?

Thanks.

What is it?

There was blood on the handcuffs from Becker's house.

And?

It's Barbara's

Where did you get those?

Hello, gentlemen Mr Bethge, again.

I heard you found handcuffs

With your sister's blood on them?

They're from Becker's house.

They were in Hanover for 25 years. The results were never requested.

- He killed her. - We don't know that.

So we must investigate his surroundings Especially his property.

You were there in 1993 The garden was dug up.

What now? Geologists? Ground radar?

You stopped digging back then

You looked for a corpse found a car and stopped.

You didn't search the garage.

Shut up! I'm talking.

You let the perpetrator escape several times

We're sure he killed my sister. And not only her.

You can't ignore this any longer.

*- I understand that your emotions.. - You don't understand.

Or you don't want to understand.

But the press will.

So? - No, we found nothing.

They shouldn't shit us here

Right, is that it?

We were in the house, the basement and the garage

Nothing's here.

Maybe there's a cavity.. - Have you checked that?

No, we'll leave that to you experts.

Nothing.

It's shallow for a mechanic's pit. They're normally deeper.

- You're making fools of yourselves. - What's your problem?

Barbara Neder's corpse isn't in this pit or anywhere else on this property.

Neither is any other corpse.

You didn't kill your wife.

Barbara's DNA is on handcuffs

They were in Juergen Becker's house.

Had I not broken up with her, she might still be alive.

Stop.

Willy I you tell your daughter?

Do you know where he buried her?

She has to be on his property. That's the only way.

What if she isn't there?

Theresa will only believe me when you've found her.

When are you leaving?

The day after tomorrow.

That's the plan.

- Thanks. - Of course

Let's re-examine it thoroughly. Must be sure when we try again.

We considered the meaning of the suicide notes.

Especially the last paragraph, Heiner and his wife.

"I don't think I have to state my biggest wish after my death.

“The house and land. Try together to keep our house in this state".

- His wife followed that order. - Yes.

His suicide halted the investigation.

Why did he want that?

So nobody else would get control over his house.

Yes.

He picked Barbara up that evening.

They drove to his place

She might have asked for his help with her new house.

She meets his requirements perfectly

The wife of the most successful businessman in town.

He misjudged the situation.

He wanted to convince her to blackmail her husband.

Barbara refused and the situation escalated.

Maybe she told him you were the police chief.

The difference to the prior victims is they were all casual encounters.

At remote places in nature.

He already knew Barbara and wasn't sure if she had told others about him.

Can I go on?

Yes, keep going.

He didn't originally plan to kill her. But then he had to.

He drove back to her house

That was the idling car, as if she spontaneously went on holiday.

Importantly, compared to all the other murders,

her corpse mustn't be found.

He would get caught.

He could only be certain by burying her where he had most control.

On his own property.

Thanks.

She has to be there

You've already searched the house searched the house twice

If I don't make it, we'll meet in Rotterdam in two days

Or the next t day in Dover.

Good luck.

The owner won't come. She doesn't want to be present.

Good morning

- Blaschke, forensics. - Bethge.

Good morning

Well...

I think we all agree...

The garage was the safest place. It seems harmless and functional, like him.

The pit offers the best control.

My brother-in-law.

- Robert. - Hello.

Okay, then..

Put the tube in carefully.

This is natural earth.

We have a visitor.

Please keep going

Can I help my colleagues?

Would you like another coffee? You could tell me who you are.

No result. Sorry.

I think we can stop here.

Let's look at the spruce where Becker's dog supposedly dug.

We'd have to cut it down. We can't do that.

What was that?

Get out.

Thanks.

A human foot bone.

Holy...

This is a crime scene now.

- I must inform Weesenburg police. - You don't have to...

Bethge, here.

We found something relevant while digging in the garage.

So I guess it's your...

Yes.

Yes, Marianne. You're probably already aboard.

Please call me back.

I think I found her.

They said it's the weekend and they might send someone eventually.

We'll keep going until then.

There are times when one could hug them.

You mustn't do this.

- What? - Hurt me.

I didn't do anything

You're sitting here and a are scared.

Of what?

That I'll hurt you?

Or of the punishment... when we find out what you did?

Will you wrap a bed sheet around your neck then?

Will you hang yourself

like your friend Juergen?

Because you can't live with it?

That you'll have to answer for all the dead?

For their suffering?

For their fear?

For their pain?

You know what he did to them.

How they died.

Innocent.

He left you alone.

With all the dead With all the guilt.

Towards all those who are still alive.

Think about those people.

Those who loved someone who had to die for nothing.

Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters..

Friends.

The dead are dead.

You can't change that.

But those you left behind, live with that pain forever.

You can give something back to them.

Tell me what you know.

Be honest, Heiner

Be an honest man.

Not a coward

Are you in there? It's Meinecke.

You must open the door. You can't do it like that

Please open the door.

I'm your lawyer, Mr Mertens Be silent.

I didn't do anything

My sympathy.

We have a few questions..

Hello.

We're taking over the crime scene now

We're pleased to inform you

Barbara Neder's corpse was found on Juergen Becker's property.

He evaded further investigation in 1993 by committing suicide.

Come here.

Come here

Was the decisive police work done by retired criminologists from Hamburg?

- Led by Thomas Bethge? - We've been in contact for years.

Is there more evidence against Juergen Becker?

Yes, we found his DNA in the car of an Iseforst murder victim from 1989.

Juergen Becker may have been the Iseforst murderer?

Correct.

You linked several innocent people to the murders.

We needn't cast blame.

Have you apologised to the husband who was the murder suspect for decades?

We're focused on the present. We have a lot to do.

There is still the possibility Becker had help or was ordered to do it.

- We'll answer questions later. - One more question. How could you...

For ever and ever.

You opened the book of my life.

You filled it with colourful days.

You wrote the nicest stories for me.

I'll always love you for that.

You pulled my balloon a long way.

You made me fly the highest

You made my time valuable.

You protected me like a treasure.

You still are most important to me.

I'll always love you.

Inspired by true events

Thomas Bethge found his sister who was missing for 28 years

with the help of long-time colleagues.

Today he is committed to the victims of crime and their relatives.

Robert Neder was wrongly suspected of killing his wife for 28 years.

To date, the Weesenburg police have not apologised to him.

The police assume Juergen Becker is responsible

for a number of unsolved murders since 1965

It is assumed that he had accomplice in several cases.

The investigations in this regard are yet to yield results.

Subtitles SBS Australia 2021