Orderud case
| Location | Sørum, Akershus |
|---|---|
| Deaths | Marie Orderud (84) Kristian Orderud (81) Anne Orderud Paust (47) |
| Suspect(s) | Per Kristian Orderud Veronica Orderud Kristin Kirkemo Lars Grønnerød |
| Verdict | Complicity to commit premeditated murder |
| Convictions | 21 years (P. Orderud) 21 years (V. Orderud) 18 years (Grønnerød) 16 years (Kirkemo) |
The Orderud case (Norwegian: Orderud-saken) was a notorious case of triple murder that occurred in Norway on 22 May 1999. The victims were 47-year-old Anne Orderud Paust, her mother 84-year-old Marie Orderud and her father 81-year-old Kristian Orderud who were found shot and killed at their country estate in Sørum, Akershus.
Eventually Anne's brother Per Kristian Orderud, his wife Veronica Orderud, Veronica's sister Kristin Kirkemo and Kristin's ex-boyfriend Lars Grønnerød were arrested and were convicted of complicity to premeditated murder in 2001. The mysterious triple murder case is the criminal case that has probably generated the most media attention in Norwegian history. Despite four people being convicted, the actual killer has never been caught.
On 17 July 1998, while heading to work at the Ministry of Defence, the Norwegian defense minister's personal secretary, Anne Orderud Paust discovered a charge of explosives under her truck. The 500g explosive device was of the type Solex. The incident was given "extremely high priority" with the Oslo police. On 12. August her husband Per Paust, a high level Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, stated that there had been an attempt to ignite a propane gas tank at the stairwell of their apartment in Skillebekk, Oslo. He discovered the 5-kilo tank with an open vent, outside his door which was doused in gasoline. Officials from the fire department claimed that the whole building could easily have been "blown apart". These two assassination attempts received wide publicity and caused a media sensation. In the end no one was charged or arrested in connection with either of the two incidents.
The couple then spent a few months in New York City where Per worked as a temporary Consul-General, returning to Norway in January 1999. Per Paust was then diagnosed with cancer and died after a short period of illness in May that same year. Around 15 May, an anonymous person called and warned the authorities that Anne Paust and her parents would be murdered. Despite extensive searches, the caller was never found, and one week later the same people were found dead.
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