The Unsolvable Case of Death Part 1: The Body

Isal for some, it might feel like an unusual place for a walk—its, also known as the Valley of Ice. This desolate yet beautiful valley lies east of Bergen, Norway. A large, dark lake fills the valley floor, while pine forests cover the hillsides, gradually giving way to rocks and boulders as you climb higher. It was November, a cold and rainy time of year in Norway, with only a few hours of daylight. Yet, on the 29th of November, 1970, a university professor went out for an early morning walk in the valley, accompanied by his two daughters, aged 10 and 12.

He seemed to be familiar with the area and confident enough to hike through a place that could be dangerous at times, especially with young children. In fact, its dangerous reputation was well known, and it was even called the "Valley of Death" due to the many accidents that had occurred there. Some believed that, in medieval times, this place was used for darker purposes—people would come to Isal to end their lives. The reason this place was considered cursed remains unclear.

The valley was very remote, and it was undoubtedly even more isolated in the past. However, the professor and his daughters could not have known what they were about to discover. As they walked through the valley, one of the children noticed something sticking out from behind one of the boulders.

She pointed it out to her father, who immediately recognized it from a distance as a foot. Concerned that someone might be hurt, he hurried toward the boulders, which were hiding the rest of the person lying there. As they got closer, they were hit by a strange, burnt smell lingering in the air, an unpleasant and unsettling scent.

When they finally moved the last boulder, the professor quickly shielded the children's eyes. There was indeed a body—a woman—but it was too late to save her. The three of them quickly left the treacherous valley and headed toward the city to call the police.

Two months later, in Bergen, 16 men and two women gathered in a cemetery for a Catholic burial service. The hymn "Himly Kindly Light" echoed in the cold Norwegian air. All the mourners were members of the Bergen police force, and they watched as a white coffin was lowered into the ground with no headstone present.

None of them knew the identity of the woman being buried, her coffin lined with zinc so it wouldn’t disintegrate if they needed to exhume it later. All the people present at the burial are no longer alive, and they took with them the mystery of the unknown woman whose funeral they attended.

The first chess scene in this horrific film opens n a tranquil Sunday morning in Bergen, between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., a call was received by the police reporting the discovery of a body in Isdal Valley. A small team was promptly dispatched to investigate the scene.

As they approached, the first thing that struck them was the acrid scent of burning flesh permeating the crisp November air. It was at this moment that they encountered the individual who would later be referred to as the Isdal woman.

The woman, approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall, appeared to be relatively young, slender, with broad hips, dark brownish-black hair, and a small, round face featuring dark eyes. While this description was later provided, it was not the most immediate observation. The most striking aspect was the horrific condition of her body; her entire front was severely burned, with both clothing and skin charred away, while curiously, her back remained unscathed.

Her body was contorted in a position known as "box pose," a disturbing posture often seen in victims of fire-related deaths, where the muscles and tissues contract due to heat exposure, resulting in clenched fists and flexed elbows and knees.

However, there was no apparent source of fire in the vicinity. Surrounding her body were several personal items, including a pair of rubber boots—one of which was burned—two plastic water bottles that appeared to have partially melted, a jumper, a scarf, stockings, an umbrella, a purse, and a box of matches. Additionally, fragments of burnt paper were found nearby.

The scene revealed what seemed to be remnants of a passport holder, along with jewelry and a watch that had stopped functioning at the time. Initially, this detail appeared peculiar; however, upon examination, it was noted that the watch's display was set to standard time, indicating it had never been used. Beneath the body lay a fur hat, which, when tested, showed traces of petrol, albeit in minimal amounts.

No other sources of fire were evident in the vicinity. Additionally, two other unusual aspects were present: all labels on the belongings had either been removed or erased, and the labels on her clothing had been cut off. This created an undeniably strange scene. The body was promptly transported to a local university hospital for an autopsy.

Over the years, various theories have emerged regarding the possibility of an accident, the most prevalent being that she may have fallen into a campfire.

However, no evidence of a fire being present in the area was found, prompting the police to swiftly classify the case as a murder investigation, despite having no leads none of the woman's possessions were identifiable, and her face was severely burned, rendering it nearly unrecognizable. The authorities quickly reached out to the media in hopes of finding someone who might have reported her missing or recognized any aspect of her description.

The autopsy further revealed intriguing findings: fire had indeed played a role in her death, as evidence of it was found in her respiratory tract, and her skin exhibited a reddish hue likely caused by carbon monoxide poisoning; however, the toxicology report revealed the presence of drugs in her system—specifically, a significant quantity.

It was estimated that she had ingested between 50 to 70 barbiturate tablets, with several remaining undigested. According to one source, some of the pills were still present in her mouth at the time of her death. The medications were associated with a sleeping pill that was notably favored by women during that era who sought to end their lives through overdose.

Interestingly, some reports indicate that the brand of the pills was one available in England, rather than Norway. The autopsy raised more questions than it answered, as the substantial number of tablets in her system appeared to eliminate the possibility of an accidental overdose. This led to speculation regarding whether her death was a result of murder or a suicide, with the presence of the tablets suggesting the potential for self-infliction.

However, one must consider the circumstances surrounding the fire. If it was indeed ignited using petrol, the question arises: where are the petrol canisters? Furthermore, what would motivate an individual to travel to such an isolated location, consume a significant quantity of sleeping pills, and subsequently set themselves ablaze? Fortunately, the police received a significant lead three days later.

They were informed about a pair of suitcases that had been left at a train station in Bergen. These suitcases had been abandoned a week earlier, on November 23rd, and the individual responsible had not returned to retrieve them.