- Was the murder weapon really a Smith & Wesson Magnum 9 mm caliber?
- ”’Lisbeth’s bulletl”
- ”Palmeculan”
- A Smith & Wesson?
- Professional killer?
- Wrong bullets?
- The Bangers
- On the other hand
- Pros and cons…
- Arguments that a professional killer was behind the murder
- Arguments against the theory of a professional killer
- Arguments that the bullets are genuine
- Arguments against the bullets being real
- What speaks for the Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum?
- Other possible weapons
- What indicates that it was a Smith & Wesson?
This is where Sweden’s minister were assassinated. On February 28, 1986. Stand behind the painting and look towards the T-down. Looks like 1986 except for the elevator door inserted into the wall beyond the pillar,
The murder scene. Note that the wall lacks an elevator door.
”’Lisbeth’s Bullet”
The so-called Lisbeth bullet was found by Alfred Tavares on the sidewalk outside Sveavägen 29 at 6:30 a.m., seven hours after the murder. It was lying in the snow next to two gutters that ran from the house wall out to the road, about 40 meters south of the murder scene.
Tavares was a freelance correspondent for an Indian news agency. Who claimed to have analyzed the bullet’s trajectory in a self-hypnotic trance. Hsn handed the bullet to P4 Stockholm reporter Agneta Askelöv, who in turn handed it over to a police officer.
The bullet that hit Lisbeth Palme bounced or ricocheted off hard surfaces, which explains the extensive injuries. The weapon was pointed downwards as Lisbeth Palme bent over. It hit the gravel on Sveavägen and had traces of sand and crystals. Therefore, it could not be determined with certainty whether they came from the same weapon.
The two bullets found were copper-jacketed to achieve high penetration. Most likely of the Winchester-Western .357 Magnum 158 grain metal piercing type. A relatively outdated ammunition suitable for hunting, for example. But rarely used for sports shooting. An aspect that speaks in favor of a contract killing considering the protective vest. Which reduces the probability of the theory of a ”lone madman” experienced as a competitive shooter. On the other hand, the question arises why a contract killer would use such an unwieldy weapon.
”Palmeculan”
When Elisabeth Belich was standing at the barrier, she saw a metal object behind the pillar at lunchtime on March 1st at the iron shutter near the T-drop. The area had previously been swept for evidence. There was no impact mark on the wall where the elevator door is now. The idea that the bullet was kicked there is reasonable, but hardly a longer distance. In that case, it hit the wall behind. But there is no impact mark there.
A bullet trajectory of 10 -15 meters is difficult to explain considering that the effective shooting distance for killing is 50 -100 meters. And in total, one expects a bullet trajectory of several hundred meters if nothing is in the way. Here, someone smaller after passing Palme’s body.
Based on the fact that the bullet traveled approximately 140 cm above the ground and the shooter was taller than Palme, it is assumed that the weapon was aimed slightly downwards, perhaps at an angle of 10-20 degrees. Therefore, the bullet should have bounced off the “elevator wall” and been severely deformed. Or landed down towards Sergels Torg.
A Smith & Wesson?
The rifling in the bullet (Metal Piercing from Winchester) was traced to a Smith & Wesson Magnum, caliber .352 (9 mm). Isotope analysis indicated the same bullet that touched Lisbeth Palme’s coat. The same applies to the bullet that went through the Prime Minister.
It was a revolver with a 6 or 4 inch barrel, judging by the marks on the muzzle rifling. They are very likely to be: bullets found from the same lead casing and primer. But were they really the same bullets? It is up to you as an investigator to decide. In any case, no other bullets have been found on Sveavägen.
The murder weapon is probably a Smith & Wesson caliber .357, Detective Chief Inspector Hans Holmér revealed during a press conference shortly after the murder. This led to the continuation of the murder investigation, with a number of test shots to tie the perpetrator.
The same marks indicate it could have been a Smith & Wesson .38 (5mm). Or a Taurus, Colt, Ruger & Co. and Dan Wesson Firearms revolver, although they are not as common .
A Smith & Wesson Magnum with a 6 inch barrel is 15 cm long, with a silencer a full 39 cm. .357 Magnum a powerful pistol for shooting small game or through car body panels. Popular for sport shooting where a cartridge with less powder is used for practice.
Professional killer?
Although a Magnum is not suitable for assassination, possibly justified if the victim is wearing a body armor. Effective at a distance of 50-100 meters. Several hundred meters of shooting range, but limited by penetration, ricochets and weather.
There was speculation about South Africa and Iraq. Assassins prefer smaller weapons, easier to conceal. Preferably a .33 caliber (5.6 mm) quieter than a Smith & Wesson .357 (9 mm). The latter is 15 cm long with a 6 inch barrel and a full 30 cm with a silencer.
This fact reduces the probability of a contract killer being sent, unless it was believed that Palme was wearing a bulletproof vest. Most of the evidence still points to a competitive shooter, or a friend, who happens to have access to a Smith & Wesson Magnum. And who discovered the couple before the cinema at the Grand or perhaps the apartment in Gamla Stan. This fact speaks against the theory of a contract killer. Because there are weapons that attract less attention. That a policeman or soldier can be a sports shooter with a Smith & Wesson;
Wrong bullets?
”I couldn’t have put it better myself. Finding bullets this undeformed so close to the murder scene is completely unlikely, at least the one found at the pillar just a few meters from the murder scene,” says Anders Lexne, general agent for Smith & Wesson in Sweden. ”These bullets have an incredible amount of force when they are fired, and if they hit walls or other objects, they become severely deformed.” DN 2003-01-22
Vincent Lange, weapons expert and former head of the police technical department: ”…the bullets definitely should not have been found even near the murder scene itself. This speaks for a conspiracy. -They have in all likelihood planted it.
The Bangers
Silencers are not used in shooting competitions. But ear protection is, because the bang from a Magnum hits your ears. The shot echoes between house walls, clearly from a hundred meters away. Listen :
The film shows how the revolver rises after the shot, despite the two-handed grip. No witness to the murder has observed the weapon rise or noticed a two-handed grip.
In urban environments, the sound can be reflected and amplified, which means that it can be heard further. Wind direction and humidity affect it. It was windy this evening and it was 6 degrees cold. The traffic alarm has an effect, but this was moderate due to the traffic lights. A shot from a .357 Magnum can be heard clearly up to 300–500 meters away in an urban environment.
Therefore, it is difficult to explain why they approach the murder like an Easter egg or an exhaust note.
- Lisbeth Palme: ”Then I hear, at the same level as the paint store, that it’s exploding . I startle, and I think I turn – probably at a 90 degree angle – towards Olof and say something as I turn around about the children’s firecrackers … that it’s scary in some way.”
- Although somewhat drunk, Anders Björkman is the main observer, especially as he was employed by a Bofors company and therefore used to volleys of gunfire. He perceives the shots as Easter crackers. Hypnosis interrogation with Anders Björkman .
- Lars Jeppsson heard the gunshots from the assassination of Olof Palme when he was on Tunnelgatan, near the corner of Sveavägen, behind some construction barracks. He stopped and wondered if he should take the road down to Sveavägen via Tunnelgatan. Then he heard two bangs coming in quick succession that he perceived as fireworks or firecrackers being thrown. He heard the bangs coming from Sveavägen and saw a man fall over. Read the minutes .
- Stig Engström ”the Skandian man” was about 20 meters from the intersection at Tunnelgata when he heard a bang. He didn’t react much to this, but interpreted it as a firecracker or exhaust blast.
- Egon Enocksson: At Monte Carlo, two muffled shots were heard in quick succession .
On the other hand
It is difficult to determine whether witnesses sitting in cars on Sveavägen were reacting to the incident or if someone fell. Other witnesses at a greater distance from the murder scene appear to have noticed the shots.
- Jan Andersson: Was in a car heading south on Sveavägen, heard shots every 2-3 seconds .
- Anders Björkman: Was walking on Sveavägen, heard two bangs and saw a person collapse after the second bang.
- Annika Blomqvist: At Monte Carlo, two shots were heard 1-2 seconds apart .
- Anders Delsborn: Taxi driver heading south, heard a shot, then saw a man fire a second shot.
- Nicola Fauzzi: Was walking north on Sveavägen, heard two shots about 1-2 seconds apart.
- Susanne Karlsson: Heard two shots in quick succession as she had just passed Tunnelgatan.
- Susanne Larsson: Was in a car on Tunnelgatan, heard two shots and saw a person fall.
- Kerstin Nordström: Heard two bangs about 3 seconds apart from her apartment near Adolf Fredriks kyrkogata.
- Bengt Palm: Was driving on Sveavägen, heard a bang at Tunnelgatan and another one about 150 meters later.
- Carina Pettersson: Was walking on the west side of Sveavägen at Tunnelgatan, heard the shots and several bangs in short succession.
- Jan-Åke Svensson: Was in a car on Sveavägen northbound, heard shots and saw three people, saw the person in the middle fall at the second shot.
- Christina and Per Vallin: Both were at the scene and heard two shots about 1 second apart.
/ By Ingemar Lindmark
Pros and cons…
Arguments that a professional killer was behind the murder
- Professionally executed crime : The murder was committed quickly, efficiently, and without the perpetrator leaving any obvious traces. This indicates experience with weapons and planning. A contract killer or a skilled sports shooter?
- Walkie-talkie sightings : Multiple witnesses reported men with communication equipment in the area before the murder, which may indicate an organized operation.
- Political motives and foreign interests : Theories such as the South Africa Trail point to foreign powers having had motives to hire a professional assassin, given Palme’s support for the ANC and criticism of apartheid.
- Caliber of the murder weapon : The weapon used was a .357 Magnum, a powerful weapon that requires some skill to handle. What if it was a Manum?
- Theories about collaboration with former police/military personnel : Some theories point to the fact that Swedish actors with a military or police background may have helped with logistics and planning.
Arguments against the theory of a professional killer
- Lack of escape plan : The perpetrator fled on foot through alleys and stairs, which does not indicate a professional escape strategy.
- No evidence of a client : Despite extensive investigation, no client or payment has been linked to the murder.
- The assassination was risky and open : Shooting a prime minister in the open street without a guarantee of safety to escape is unusual for a contract killer.
- Alternative leads with stronger evidence : The investigation has focused more on individuals such as Christer Pettersson and the PKK lead, where there have been concrete suspicions.
- No technical evidence : Neither the murder weapon nor DNA traces have been linked to a professional perpetrator.
Arguments that the bullets are genuine
- The bullets were found near the murder scene : One bullet was found on Sveavägen and one in the alley where the perpetrator fled, which is consistent with the direction of the shots.
- Technical analysis matches the injuries : One bullet had deformations consistent with having hit Olof Palme in the back and then bounced off a leg.
- Caliber and type match testimony : The bullets were of the .357 Magnum type, which is consistent with the sound and impact described by witnesses.
- The police documented the findings quickly : The bullets were secured and analyzed early in the investigation, reducing the risk of manipulation.
Arguments against the bullets being real
- A bullet was found by a journalist – not a police officer : The bullet believed to have passed through Lisbeth Palme’s coat was found by Alfred de Tavares, an Indian journalist, which raises questions about the chain of evidence.
- The bullets were too little demolished : Some experts have questioned why the bullets were not more damaging, given that they hit bodies and possibly hard surfaces.
- No traces of blood or tissue : Although the bullets are said to have passed through bodies, there were no biological traces, which is unusual.
- The murder weapon has never been found : Without the weapon, it is impossible to make a ballistic match that proves that the bullets were indeed fired from the weapon used in the murder.
- Theories about planting : Some conspiracy theories but
- Caliber of the bullets : The two bullets found at the murder scene were of the .357 Magnum type, which is a powerful revolver caliber often used in Smith & Wesson models.
- Testimony about the sound and effect of the weapon : Several witnesses described the shots as very powerful, which is consistent with a .357 Magnum revolver.
- Police focus : The investigation has test-fired over 400 weapons, and the Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum has been at the center of several tests and hypotheses.
- The Mockfjärd revolver : A Smith & Wesson Model 28 found in a lake in Dalarna had bullets with the same lead isotope composition as those found on Sveavägen
What speaks for the Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum?
- Caliber of the bullets : The two bullets found at the murder scene were of the .357 Magnum type, which is a powerful revolver caliber often used in Smith & Wesson models.
- Testimony about the sound and effect of the weapon : Several witnesses described the shots as very powerful, which is consistent with a .357 Magnum revolver.
- Police focus : The investigation has test-fired over 400 weapons, and the Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum has been at the center of several tests and hypotheses.
- The Mockfjärd revolver : A Smith & Wesson Model 28 found in a lake in Dalarna had bullets with the same lead isotope composition as those found on Sveavägen
Other possible weapons
| Weapon type | Model | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Smith & Wesson Model 19 | .357 Magnum | One of the most discussed models in the investigation. |
| Smith & Wesson Model 28 (”Highway Patrolman”) | .357 Magnum | The Mockfjärd revolver – suspected weapon with lead match. |
| Ruger revolver | .357 Magnum | Has been mentioned as an option but could not be connected directly. |
| Colt Python | .357 Magnum | Another powerful revolver that could theoretically have been used. |
| Unknown revolver | .38 Special (modified) | Some theories suggest that a .38 Special may have been modified to fire .357 bullets. |
What indicates that it NOT was a Smith & Wesson?
- The murder weapon has never been found : Without the weapon, a ballistics match cannot be made that proves it was a Smith & Wesson.
- Several weapons have been tested without results : Despite extensive test firings, no weapon has been able to be reliably linked to the bullets.
- Bullets’ lead isotopes can match multiple weapons
