French police identify 2005 murder victim Hakima Boukerouis and arrest suspect

9 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Apr 28

Boukerouis, a 34-year-old Algerian-born woman, was found in Saint-Quirin in 2005 and identified using familial DNA, leading to the first arrest since Operation Identify Me began.
Her body, discovered mutilated and concealed in a water butt, had previously been known only by her dental work. The suspect remains unnamed as investigations and judicial proceedings continue.
Boukerouis is the fifth woman identified through Interpol's campaign, which targets 47 cold cases across six European countries. Police continue efforts to identify 42 more women, many believed to be murder victims.

Now that a suspect is caught, what was the motive behind this brutal 20-year-old murder?

How many more cold cases could be solved if all countries fully shared their forensic DNA databases?

As technology identifies victims, what is being done to combat the modern slavery that makes them vulnerable?

With familial DNA solving a 20-year murder, are our family trees becoming police evidence?

With new DNA tech, are any cold cases truly unsolvable or is it just a matter of time?