The Breakthrough (2025) s01e03 Episode Script

1
ON TUESDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2004
A MURDER INVESTIGATION BEGAN
IT WOULD BECOME
THE SECOND LARGEST CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
IN SWEDISH HISTORY
[weather reporter] …by a band
of heavy rain and storm-like conditions
coming in from the west.
Skagerrak, Kattegat, Oresund,
the Danish straits,
and the southwestern
and southern Baltic Sea will be affected.
It is advisable to contact
your travel company
if you are making your crossing
over the coming days.
[dog barking]
[barking continues]
-Nervous?
-I think so.
-What for?
-Uh, could be the one chance I get.
Come on, do what you do.
You'll be all right.
Truly?
-Good luck. Drive carefully.
-[Per] Yeah.
[poignant theme music playing]
[music fades]
[church bell tolls]
[traffic bustling]
-[John] So, you found your way here?
-[Per] Yeah, I just followed the GPS.
It was fine. Long drive, though.
[John] So, we'll meet
with the powers that be
and convince them
to green-light your method.
-In all these years, you ever…
-[John] Third floor.
…picture the killer in front of you?
Oh, sure. Endlessly.
I do it constantly.
And I know that we've been
very close to getting him,
but we missed him.
You see, people interact in various places
and, um, you can trace them that way.
They have certain behaviours, they have…
patterns, something that stands out
and that catches our attention.
-But not this one?
-[John] No.
Thought of nothing else for so long,
how he's stayed out sight 16 years.
Well, even so, we'll get him.
[elevator dings]
[muffled indistinct chatter]
[John sighs]
Are you nervous?
Aren't you?
[door clicks open]
Okay.
I'll get straight to the point.
We've read your application
concerning the use of this method and, um…
Genetic genealogy
for the double murder in 2004.
Can you explain how you will do this?
Absolutely. I think it's,
um, best that Per here tells you.
Well, in genealogy,
you usually start working your way back.
But with my method,
I research backwards and forwards.
You start backwards,
tracking the DNA matches,
grandparents and so on,
until each lineage
merges in common ancestors.
Then the person you're trying to find,
the killer in this case,
most likely is a descendant.
And you search through… through records?
-Public registers?
-[Per] That's right.
[woman]
That's a violation of privacy laws.
We've tried pretty much everything
in our work on this.
I just want to say that my method
will revolutionise police procedure.
I don't think you realise
how valuable this technique will be.
-But you do?
-[Per] Yes.
They got the Golden State Killer
with this method after nearly 40 years.
Why not give it a shot?
[pensive music playing]
[colleague] The cold case unit takes over
in two weeks.
Give us until then.
-[man] Okay, John. You've got two weeks.
-Thank you.
[colleague] Great. I'll ask forensics
to get you the DNA profile.
[music fades]
What's taking so long?
[door opens]
[door closes]
[exhales]
-[man] Here's the DNA profile.
-Ta.
Uh…
[items clattering]
[Per sighs]
Uh, there's… there's not enough data.
All of these dashes
are gaps in the profile.
It's like catching water in a colander.
-What is it you're saying?
-[Per] I'm saying we'll miss relatives.
I dunno why
they can't get a better profile.
Working with this data is… useless.
So, what do you need?
[Per] A much better profile
to narrow the search.
This one's all over the shop.
With this, we'll get matches with people
who aren't even related to the murderer.
It's the only DNA we've got. Can't you--
-You must listen to me.
-[John] Come on!
We're running out of time.
Give it a try see what you find
and we'll take it from there.
Come on, try again.
[John's footsteps retreating]
-John.
-[John] I'll get coffee.
[Per] I did the best I could
with this DNA profile.
[sniffs] I've got a few matches
on GEDMatch and Family Tree,
sites where you can
upload your DNA profile.
-And I've found three people.
-Okay.
All of them are, one way or another,
very distant relatives to the killer.
They have different… different bloodlines,
but there's one thing in common.
-[John] What?
-Germany.
-Germany?
-Yeah.
They have
or have had relatives over there.
[tense music playing]
There was a German man
on the list of suspects,
a student who needed
medical attention for… a cut on his hand.
Here.
[Per] It's not a lot.
[John] Well, do what you can.
[music intensifies]
[birds squawking]
[keyboard clacking]
DNA MATCHES
GERMAN PHONEBOOK
-[man] Is this seat free?
-No.
[music fades]
Thanks a lot.
[doorbell rings]
-Hi.
-Hello.
[John] So…
[chuckles nervously] Doing DIY?
Yeah.
[John] Eh…
You well?
Yeah, good. I'm okay.
Uh…
And you, how are you?
All right.
I want to apologise for not, uh…
keeping in touch, uh…
-But we are working on--
-[man] John. Uh…
Uh…
There's only so long
that a man can have hope.
[poignant music playing]
You can get in touch if you have
something real to share.
Concrete.
[doorbell rings]
[music fades]
Here.
What is it?
German exchange students
at the time of the murders.
-Uh-huh.
-Need a warrant from the prosecutor
to contact the German authorities.
No, we're not ready.
It's best to get started
as soon as we can.
Collaboration with another country
in a case like this takes time.
We don't have long. Come on.
Yeah, John, so I got your, uh, request
for an international arrest warrant
for the German suspect,
but I'm going to need more than that.
Yeah, of course.
And that is why Per's here.
Uh, so we've found
a connection to Germany.
[Per] I wouldn't say a connection.
Yeah, we… we have this report that we…
No, this is how I see the situation.
On the line.
Doing genealogy in Germany's a nightmare.
-And why's that?
-Twentieth century history.
Nazis were intent on
their racial profiling
and ongoing screening.
It's all classified,
who's related to whom.
Birth information
only becomes public after 110 years.
Sure, we can research church records.
However, as soon we get into
the 20th century, it stops.
It's all too likely that, um… uh…
matches are coincidental.
Mm. So how do you tell what's coincidence
from what's real, though?
You can't do that without using my method.
I'm telling you, for that,
everyone needs their own family tree.
So, in this case it's very difficult
as we don't have a full DNA profile.
Well, I must say this sounds, eh…
really interesting with your method
and all that, but, um…
with respect to you John,
it's nowhere near enough
and I'm gonna need
something more substantial.
We can't just pick
a random name and see if it matches.
-[phone ringing]
-That's the wrong way.
A name is useless
if you can't tie it to DNA.
Look, you…
you said that you could solve this.
-You said this'd be straightforward.
-I did. I need you to stop rushing.
How the fuck do we know
when we've got anything?
It's like playing hangman.
-What?
-Just like it, John.
DNA profiling is like playing hangman.
You fill up the holes with letters.
But in this case, we have
over three billion letters to choose from
and way too many holes.
'Cause this DNA profile's no good.
-Do you understand?
-No.
Look, John. You must let me do it my way
or it's never gonna work.
[John] When we get a lead,
then it is our job to follow up on it.
And it all rests with me,
'cause I've been on this case for 16 years
and through it all, I've called the shots.
Well, I'll leave you to it then.
[bleak music playing]
Where you going?
[Per] I'm going home.
-No, no, no, you can't do that.
-You're not listening to anything I say.
-My method will work.
-No, wait.
-But not if we do it your way.
-Calm down.
So, go on, find someone else
who'll dance to the tune you call.
Fuck!
[message tone chimes]
WHERE ARE YOU, DAD?
[music continues]
[tyres screeching]
[music fades out]
[light Swedish pop music playing]
[clears throat]
So, how's your mum?
[clicks tongue]
Um… [blows through lips]
Well, I dunno. Good, I guess.
-I dunno, why don't you ask her yourself?
-All right.
-I'll give her a call then.
-Mm.
What you doing?
[sighs, chuckles]
Sorry, forgive me.
It's ages since I held your hand
and I wanted to hold it again.
Okay.
[laughs]
Awkward. Forgive me.
[clears throat]
[John] Is there any more blood to analyse
or did we get it all?
[colleague munches] Not on the knife.
We examined all we could find.
[colleague] And you're gonna need
another source to duplicate the test
to get a more complete profile.
Okay. Have we got one?
There were leaves at the crime scene
with blood stains.
Oh.
If it belongs to the murderer,
then we can duplicate it now.
[engine turns over]
[pensive music playing]
[music continues]
[music fades]
[colleague] John,
I checked the evidence last night.
The leaves did have
traces of blood on them,
but it wasn't the killer's blood.
I also ran a check on the hat.
And… tests show that it matches
the blood that we got from the knife.
But the hat was only used
to tie it to the murderer.
Not used to get the DNA, though,
just to match it.
Much of the blood on the hat's there.
-Oh. Okay.
-I merged the samples and duplicated them.
Been sent to forensics now,
so they'll create a new profile.
So, this can be better or more… concrete?
Yeah, I hope so.
-[restrained optimistic music playing]
-Thanks!
[vocalises]
And then you pivot
and research forward again
until you get to people alive today.
And if you find people
of the right gender,
the right age, then you pivot again
and track their lineage and compare
the number of identical centimorgans.
-Yeah?
-When can you start looking at
who might be Aunt Britta's grandfather?
[Per] Mm.
Any of you take a read
of the material I sent out?
Oh.
-[mobile phone vibrates]
-[inhales]
Hi, it's Per.
[on phone] Mr Skogkvist?
This is Klara's headmaster.
Hi.
Klara has been absent a lot this term.
It's naturally of concern.
Could you come in?
[quietly] Uh, now?
Yes, I don't think you're aware
how much school she's missed.
[brooding music playing]
[vehicle approaching]
[music fades]
What are you doing here?
[John] I've tried calling,
but you're not picking up.
-Hello.
-Hi.
-John.
-Klara.
-[Per] What do you want?
-Have you got a minute?
Well, no, not right now.
Your headmaster rang.
You must go in tomorrow
or they'll file a report.
-What? But why?
-'Cause school's compulsory.
-I can't handle it right now.
-You're the best in every subject.
-Yeah, not in PE though.
-That doesn't matter.
-You don't get it.
-Yeah, I do, Klara.
I understand.
You're a loner, not a people person.
-Yeah. What's the problem?
-'Cause that's not how the world works.
You need to try and fit in.
Okay, so I'll wait out here.
[train horn blows in distance]
[door opens]
[footsteps approaching]
-[door closes]
-[dog barks]
-What you doing here?
-I want you to try again.
We found more blood,
so I've requested a better DNA profile.
[sighs]
I am so sick and tired 'cause
no one really understands my work.
I get that.
-I understand.
-[Per] No, you don't.
You think you do, but you don't.
For you, it's just another tool
that you employ to solve crimes.
Okay.
Wha… What is it really?
Come.
We could build a family tree
for the entire human race
if enough people got DNA tested.
People don't realise
what this method can do for humanity.
And I apologise if I haven't
understood properly,
but this case is important to me.
Yeah, so let me solve it for you.
Uh, I can't…
I can't just step aside.
That's not how it works.
It… It's… It's a complicated process.
-I can't--
-Come on. You're making it sound personal.
Yeah, it sort of is, actually.
Yeah, how so?
-Well, it's turned out that way.
-And why's that?
It was all about the victims
at the start and their families.
Still is, of course.
It's something else now.
Can't describe it.
But I just can't drop it.
I've realised that you…
you're my only shot at ever solving this.
Yeah, but what if you can't?
What if you can't solve it?
Then I don't know what I'll do.
You gotta help me.
Help me crack it.
It's my last chance.
[pensive music playing]
If I'm gonna do this,
then I'll do it my way.
-Okay.
-And you must listen to me.
I will.
Good.
[scoffs]
Well, I guess
we should get started right away.
[music intensifies]
[music fades]
-Why's it taking so long?
-It's a long process.
[keyboard clacking]
[sighs]
Yeah, well, I've…
I've duplicated the samples
and now we have a brand-new DNA profile.
-Let's see it then.
-[man] Here.
And this time, we've run each letter
in the chain sixty times, okay?
Instead of ten like earlier.
[Per exhales]
So, uh… did it work?
[inhales]
Looks like it.
It looks really good.
I would even go so far as to say
that it looks like the person
has just been swabbed.
-Shall we play hangman?
-[laughs] Yeah, you bet.
Yes. Yeah.
Great work. Thanks very much.
[man] Thank you.
[intriguing music playing]
[music continues]
[machine beeps]
[machine whirring]
-John? Can you talk?
-Absolutely.
-Got a problem.
-Okay.
When we engaged Per, John,
the lawyers looked into it
to see if it's all legal, you see.
Yep?
Data protection laws prohibit this
from going ahead.
[inhales] Fuck.
GDPR covers the whole EU.
Nothing we can do, I'm afraid.
[inhales]
Searching for criminals
in public records is not within the rules.
Sorry, John.
We haven't gotten
a dismissal yet, though, have we?
No, but it's gonna come.
-By the end of the week probably.
-Okay, that's good.
-What is?
-We got a couple of days.
John, the police cannot break the law.
No, of course not. We will follow orders
when we are notified officially.
But we are not there yet, though.
-No, technic--
-Good, we carry on till then.
Långsjö, Värna…
[Per] You need to see this.
I've got three geographical matches.
One is…
right there.
And another one was born…
there.
And then the third one…
right there.
Three, then, in Östergötland.
So, the killer has a connection
to at least one of these places.
[pensive music playing]
[Per] I need three
family generations to be certain.
So we need three individuals…
related to the killer,
but from three bloodlines.
Then there'll be no doubt.
It's just impossible
to read those, though.
No, you learn.
However, it gets harder
the further back in time you get.
Yeah, I can see that.
Uh, retracing to the early 18th century,
that's roughly eight generations back,
then we all have… 256 ancestors.
And there's a strong chance
that the bloodlines merge
for two of these individuals
who have roots in the same area.
[pensive music playing]
[camera clicks]
[music fades]
-Hi.
-[man] Hey.
-Awful weather.
-[man] Yeah, tell me about it.
Good to see you.
Oh, come on, sis,
we've just got to throw it all out.
No, gonna go through it first.
-Really? Oh, but he kept everything.
-Yeah, but I haven't checked through it.
Can you believe it?
He kept every single article.
Everything you've ever written.
And this here's from 2004.
-The double murder.
-Let's see.
THERE ARE TIMES I WANT TO GIVE UP
[man on phone laughs]
But, you're on holiday.
[Stina] Yeah, I know.
But, uh… something's come up.
-Okay.
-[Stina] That double murder in 2004…
-Yeah?
-I covered it when I was at Corren.
Apparently it's still an active,
ongoing investigation.
Yeah, okay.
I just spoke
to my brother about it and he said
that the police have hired
a genealogist to help out.
-A… A genealogist?
-[Stina] Yeah.
-Why?
-I've no idea.
Well, I think that obviously isn't gonna
comply with data protection is it?
I see the headline now.
"The police are breaking the law."
[pensive music playing]
[Per whispers] Kerstin…
Lundby…
Looks about right.
Johan…
[Per continues indistinctly]
That's good.
-[music fades]
-[door lock clicking]
-How is it?
-[door closes]
Yeah, well,
it's, uh, best that I leave him to it.
Fancy a drink?
I think I'll go train, actually.
John. I recently read an, uh,
interesting American research study.
Where they, uh,
examined people in their 40s
to see why some of us
live longer than others.
Do you know what the key is to long life?
No.
Diet and exercise are important,
of course,
but not as important
as regular social contact
with your family, friends…
Those who live longer
have a rich social life.
-[chuckles softly]
-Okay?
-Maybe one beer won't hurt.
-[laughs]
[Francy] Yeah, it'll do you good.
Loosen you up a bit.
[both chuckle]
-[Francy] A drink's good for the soul.
-Just one.
One or I'll be on the treadmill
for three hours.
[door thuds]
-[phones ringing]
-[office chatter]
[Stina] Good morning.
Remember me?
Oh. What you doing here?
-Don't you work in Stockholm?
-Yeah.
I'm here for a little while
because my dad has passed away,
organising the funeral
and clearing out his stuff.
-My condolences.
-Mm.
Well, the press office
is still where it always was.
[Stina] Mm.
The genealogist who's working with you
on the double murder,
what can you say about that?
Um…
Nothing, 'cause I don't know anything.
Mm.
[John] You can ask the press office.
-They'll help you.
-Yeah.
It would be good to know if his work
is adhering to data protection rules.
But I'll ask the press office that.
Well, I can probably spare you two
for now, but that's it.
I… I'll be right back.
[door opens]
[John] You wanted to see me.
What you got there?
Likely the official closure.
I haven't opened it yet.
They sent it by regular post.
[quietly] Fuck's sake!
[colleague]
I'm gonna be at a conference in Stockholm.
Okay. We have a journalist after us too.
What?
Somehow, she has discovered
that we've engaged Per and…
You know what this means if it comes out.
Yeah, course I do.
But we're not fucking quitting.
We… are so nearly there.
Uh, Per… Per…
is so close now, I know it.
Good thing you got a few days more.
-You what?
-The conference in Stockholm is two days.
No one opens my post when I'm gone.
[elevator dings]
[snoring]
[crockery clatters]
[John] Morning.
-[Per] Morning.
-Do you want a cuppa tea?
-Um… coffee, thanks.
-I'll get you one.
[exhales, yawns]
[Per] The list of matches from
the Family Tree contained 892 individuals.
-Gotta go through them all.
-[gasps] Uh, all 892?
Yeah 'cause as you can see…
we're getting
a lot of matches all over Östergötland.
So, it's likely that
the killer has roots in this area.
But with most of the 892…
-Per.
-…when you get into their family trees…
You find problems, uh… um…
"Father unknown" and, eh…
-Then there's, um…
-[Francy] Per.
You really need to pause.
-No, no. Francy, no.
-What?
There'll be no break. Keep going,
'cause we only have the weekend.
[John's footsteps retreating]
[doorbell rings]
-[Stina] Oh, hi.
-Hi, Stina.
-What you doing here?
-I need to talk to you, okay?
-Okay, come in.
-Thank you.
[door closes]
I came to ask you not to write
about that thing you mentioned.
Oh? So you're actually using
a genealogist, aren't you?
I have a thousand questions.
Yeah, yeah, for sure,
and I assure you I'll explain everything,
but not right now.
Who is it you're using?
Well he's, uh…
he's a… a genius, you know?
You must get me
an exclusive interview, John.
-Here's the thing.
-What?
The investigation is at
a very sensitive stage now.
-Mm.
-You'll get it, but you'll have to wait.
Okay. To stop me writing about it,
stop with the cliched police talk.
Come on, I'm being honest!
We… We're very close to a breakthrough,
and you writing about it now
will risk everything, you get me?
Why's that?
[John] I can't tell you.
-Because it's all illegal?
-No, it's not that.
-I have to write about it.
-After we're done.
Okay?
Please.
And you'll get the exclusive
or whatever it is you call it.
-[scoffs]
-I'll keep you in the loop.
-Mm. Heard that one before.
-I'm giving you my word.
[inhales] What's that worth?
Well, if I make a promise,
then I'll honour it.
Like finding the killer?
Yeah, like finding the killer.
[pensive music playing]
Okay, I interview you plus
an exclusive with the genealogist.
Okay.
Good, we have a deal.
Högby…
That makes sense.
Let's find you then.
Högby Parish…
Bråta…
[Francy] Henry was over at the weekend.
He and Kalle played badminton together.
-Mm. Cool.
-Mm-hmm.
-[Lollo] He must be 16 now?
-Yeah, 16.
-Ah.
-[Francy] He was very mature.
Asked how work was going.
-Really?
-[Francy] Mm.
-He asked you that?
-[Francy] Yeah.
He's growing up fast, so you need to…
-Um…
-[sighs]
[Francy] Make the most of it
before it's too late.
I dunno how to get through to him.
I missed the boat with him.
There's no textbook for being a dad,
though, John. You just give it a go.
[melancholy music playing]
[dial tone beeps]
[Henry on phone] Hey, this is Henry.
I can't pick up right now,
but you know what to do.
-Here's the beep.
-[phone beeps]
[John] Hey, Henry, it's Dad.
Just checking in.
I guess you're busy.
Call me back if you want. Bye.
[hangs up]
[music becomes brooding]
[Per] It was someone else there.
Fjälla, Hulta… Älgbosätter…
And Lundby…
One more… Good.
[music becomes disturbing]
-[inhales deeply, exhales]
-[music fades]
[gulps, breathing heavily]
-[phones ringing in distance]
-[footsteps approaching]
-Morning.
-Morning.
-Where's Per?
-No idea.
[Per] That has to be it. It must be.
-Morning.
-Wait, wait, wait.
Ekeby and Fornåsa.
Ekeby, Fornåsa,
Kaga parish, Jonsberg, Karna…
Fornåsa and Kaga
and Jonsberg and Karna too.
Then there's Rystad
and Saint Anna. Älgbosätter…
-Per, slow down, will you?
-Gistad and then Flistad…
-[Francy] Per!
-[Per] Okay.
-[Francy] Per, wait!
-[Per] What?
-[Francy] What you on about?
-I'm able to… connect all of these places.
But I can't find the right person.
But I'm so close. It's here somewhere.
-[Francy] Can we help in any way?
-[Per] Need to get more people swabbed.
No, we've talked about it.
-[Francy] We can't swab at--
-[clattering]
[items fall to ground]
[inhales] Why won't you get it? Huh?
If we swab more people, we'll find him.
Why don't you get it?
Why's it so hard to get? Huh?
-Kaga, Jonsbergs and Kärna parish…
-Per. You need some fresh air.
Let's go for a walk.
[Per] No, no, no, I gotta carry on.
-[Francy] I think that's a good idea.
-Come on, a quick walk.
Come.
[John] This is my old walking route
when I was in training for the Olympics.
I competed in two of the games,
Seoul and Atlanta.
Took this route every day for over a year.
Oh, the worst was Atlanta.
I started with stomach ache
and a tear in my calf muscle, so
-I should have pulled out, but I didn't.
-Uh, what are you talking about?
What I'm trying to say is…
I've always pushed myself way too hard,
soldiering on no matter what.
So, if you're tired, Per,
it's okay to take a break.
[poignant music playing]
I may not have ever run the marathon
or whatever it was you did,
but I'm not stopping till we've found him.
So, I'll take a very quick power nap,
then I'll get back on it.
Okay. Come, shall we?
[Per sighs]
-Must you walk so fast?
-Keep up.
[music continues]
Come on!
[poignant theme music playing]
[music fades]