Man In Custody Suspected Of Murdering Own Mother

A man in his 30s is in police custody for allegedly murdering his mother, RÚV reports.

The police were called to the scene in Breiðholt’s Bakkar neighbourhood around midnight on October 23. A woman in her 60s was found dead. Resuscitation attempts failed and the man was arrested shortly thereafter.

According to Vísir, the man has a prior history of violence. In 2006, he stabbed his father in the back and was prosecuted for a murder attempt. He was acquitted in that case and not being criminally responsible due to unspecified reasons.

This is the eighth homicide in 2024.

Increased violence

In conversation with RÚV, criminologist Margrét Valdimarsdóttir notes that the number of murder cases has never been higher in Iceland. Increasing rates of homicides can be linked to increased population, but Margrét says this is not the case.

“But what we’re seeing this year and in recent years is more than just population increase. It seems as if something is happening in Icelandic society, fostering serious cases of violence,” she said.

According to Margrét, research points out that increased social injustice causes increased violence. She says that limited social connections, inaccessible mental health resources and higher rates of organised crime are all factors that explain the increased homicide rate. She emphasises the need for the government to react.

“For example by improving access to mental health services, that’s important. I also think that policing matters. We can’t underestimate good, effective policing.”