French police identify 20-year-old cold case murder victim and arrest suspect

French police have identified a woman whose body was found over 20 years ago in northeastern France, leading to the arrest of a suspect in her murder case.

The victim, Hakima Boukerouis, was identified through familial DNA searching as part of an international police campaign called Operation Identify Me.

Boukerouis's mutilated body was discovered in January 2005 in a concealed water butt in the village of Saint-Quirin.

At the time, she was known to police only as "the woman with the Richmond dental crown" due to a distinctive dental feature.

She was 34 years old at the time of her death and was born in Algeria.

The arrest marks the first time a suspect has been apprehended since the launch of Operation Identify Me in 2023, which aims to identify women murdered or found dead under suspicious circumstances across six European countries.

French authorities have not disclosed the suspect's identity, citing ongoing investigations and judicial proceedings.

Interpol, the global policing agency coordinating the campaign, highlighted the importance of continuing investigations into unresolved cold cases.

The agency noted that increased global migration and human trafficking have complicated efforts to identify bodies, making such initiatives crucial.

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