The Breakthrough (2025) s01e04 Episode Script

1
[bleak music playing]
ON TUESDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2004
A MURDER INVESTIGATION BEGAN
IT WOULD BECOME
THE SECOND LARGEST CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
IN SWEDISH HISTORY
[Per] I found someone.
An Anders Svensson.
He shares 102 centimorgans
with the murderer.
There's another one too, a Stig Bergman
who shares 144 centimorgans.
-So, he and the killer are probably--
-Per.
Are you near then?
We've only a few days left.
I need a third.
I must hone in from three directions.
A third relative and I will know for sure.
-How you gonna do that then?
-Lots more swabbing.
-We have swabbed over 6,000 people.
-I know that, John.
But you narrowed it to a small group,
to men from 15 to 30.
But I need a wider age range, John,
or it will never work.
We only got cleared at the top,
'cause the age-range we're looking at
is from 15 to 30.
We can't just swab random people
and add them to our database, we can't.
Okay, all right.
It looks like we're stuck then.
-You can swab me.
-And me.
I'll ask my football team.
-[mobile phone rings]
-They all think police work is fun.
Hello.
Fuck's sake, I'm coming. [exhales]
Let's do it then. Here.
You were supposed to wait
till you heard from me.
I've heard a reporter at Corren is
making inquiries, so I want my interview.
There's no chance. I'm way too busy.
Unless I get my interview right now, John,
I'm just gonna go straight ahead.
[sighs]
-This is Per.
-[Per] Oh, hi.
Hi, Stina Eriksson, Aftonbladet.
-I agreed to give her an interview.
-With me?
-[John] It'll be quick.
-Need at least 30 minutes.
-Well, that's not gonna happen.
-Per.
No, I said.
-Okay.
-[John sighs]
Give you two minutes.
What you playing at?
We are up against the clock.
Look, if she doesn't get this interview,
she'll write it anyway, publish it now,
then we'll be done.
-No!
-Come on. Work with me on this, will you?
-Yeah, okay, but one caveat.
-What?
So, put this in your mouth and twirl it.
Both sides, please.
Cover it in saliva. That's it.
Other side. Good,
Put it in here and stir it.
[Stina] Like so?
Perfect. Thank you.
What was it that piqued your interest
in the process of DNA genealogy?
If you know who your ancestors are,
you can learn about yourself.
[solution swishes]
Everything's connected.
And we all are.
Some more closely than others, but…
we all are though,
whether you like it or not.
[poignant theme music playing]
[theme music fades]
[dog barking]
Klara!
[dog barking]
[woman] Klara!
[dog barks in distance]
[woman] Klara!
[bird squawking]
[dog barking]
[woman] Klara!
[faintly] Klara!
KLARA RAN AWAY FROM SCHOOL AGAIN.
[John] You all right?
Uh, I must go home.
-Now?
-[Per] Yeah.
-We only got a couple of days.
-Yeah, I know, but, um…
My daughter's not well.
-I see. So, how sick is she then?
-No, it's not like that.
But she has problems
on the social side of things.
I know it's terrible timing,
but is it okay if I work from home?
[inhales deeply]
Not really. You know how it is.
All work has to be done in-house.
Protocol.
Yeah, but since when
have you followed protocol?
My family needs me.
[soft emotional music playing]
Take your computer and carry on from home.
-[Per] Seriously?
-Sure. Don't end up like me.
[Per] How so?
Look, it's not important. Go now.
[music continues]
[music becomes ominous]
[music fades]
I should have come to you sooner.
Sixteen years ago.
I'm not really sure why I didn't.
So, what's made you come in now,
after all this time?
Uh… [clears throat]
It's never stopped troubling me.
So,when I saw the…
facial composite again
it came back to me and, er…
I'm sorry I didn't come forward back then.
I just couldn't believe it could be true.
I've known Ante since we were boys
and… I guess I didn't want it to be him.
[Francy] Andreas Persson, is that correct?
-[coach] Yeah.
-[Francy] 'Kay.
I brought a photo from the club.
That's him there.
-[John] Top right?
-That's right.
[tense music playing]
[coach] Do you think it might be him?
-We question him back then?
-Yeah, we did.
He refused to get swabbed.
He was convicted of assault
three years ago
for an unprovoked attack at a pharmacy.
He lived 200 metres from the crime scene.
He now lives in a caravan at the marina.
[John] Okay, let the prosecutor know.
[tense music intensifies]
[officers] Armed police!
[mobile phone ringing]
-Hi, Per.
-I've found the connection.
It's uh… a… a…
a little village close to Linköping.
It's called Älgbosätter.
Now I've just got to find
a third family line.
Okay, good, but we now have a suspect
and we just brought him in.
Really?
He was in our database the whole time.
We're waiting for his swab result.
He fits the profile we have perfectly.
I'll call you
when the results come back, okay?
-Oh, yeah. Yeah, sure.
-Great. Bye.
[bleak music playing]
-[phone clatters]
-[exhales]
[music continues]
[music becomes unsettling]
[music becomes bleak]
[music fades]
John, we just got the results.
-[John] And?
-It's not him. I'm sorry.
It wasn't a match.
[inhales deeply]
-[footsteps retreat]
-[inhales]
[telephone ringing]
-Hello?
-[Francy] Hi, Per, it's Francy.
[Per] Hi.
So, we've just got the,
uh… results through
that, uh… swab tests that Lollo,
I and a few others at the station did.
John told me to send them to you.
Um, but… but I thought you had a suspect.
No, afraid the DNA test we did
didn't match our guy.
Okay.
All right then, go for it. Send them over.
-Mm-hmm. I'll email them now.
-Thanks. Bye.
DNA RESULTS.
HI PER, HERE ARE THE NEW RESULTS.
[brooding music playing]
[keyboard clacking]
[music continues]
[door creaks]
Can't… believe it.
[music builds]
[music becomes rhythmic]
[whispering] That's it.
That's it, that's it.
[keyboard clacking]
[music steadies]
[woman] What are you doing?
Um, I must go through everything again.
I can't be wrong.
You're never wrong.
Right there.
[music builds, fades]
[mobile phone ringing]
Hi, Per. I'm just on my way to--
-John, the match is perfect.
-What?
Two brothers.
It must be one of them.
-Hey, John, are you there?
-Yeah, yeah.
Stina Eriksson, that journalist,
is a cousin of the murderer.
-Are you certain?
-It has to be one of these two brothers.
-I'll come to Linköping tomorrow.
-Okay, okay.
-Hold on.
-Yeah?
Make sure
you have a safe journey, all right?
Course I will.
[woman] Per, wait!
-What is it?
-Let me drive some of the way.
I can train it back from Gävle.
You need some rest.
-Thanks.
-[both chuckle]
[church bell tolling]
[elevator dings]
Hm.
You think it's one
of these two brothers? Uh…
David Nilsson?
[John] We have every reason
to believe it's him.
He no longer works
and he lives by himself,
and he was the right age
when the murders were committed, uh…
His brother's stable.
-Job, family, kids.
-Well…
There are many offenders
who appear to lead normal lives.
-The Haga Man, for one.
-We'll question his brother.
But we'll get David Nilsson in here first.
Hm…
You should run further background checks
on them before you do.
Uh, it's not worth the risk.
We could make a mistake.
Intel leaks, he could flee,
and then he could offend again.
We have to interview him
as soon as possible.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
And he has to be considered
highly dangerous,
so we're gonna need the tactical unit.
[judge] And when do you want to do this?
Tomorrow morning, at dawn,
when he's most likely to be asleep.
Yeah, uh…
Time is 14:13.
I'm issuing a warrant
for the arrest of David Nilsson.
-Good luck.
-Good.
-Thanks.
-Thanks a lot.
[John] Why you here?
Well, I thought we had a deal.
You said you'd keep me updated.
-Yeah.
-Hmm.
There's a tactical unit here in Linköping.
-Why?
-Where'd you hear that?
-Have you got him?
-I can't confirm that.
You do know I can publish a story
about a breakthrough in the case
online in two minutes.
And if you do that,
you'll risk… everything, you know that?
So then… tell me.
There's more evidence we have to bring in…
[Stina] Mm.
Before we make the arrest.
And then you'll get your interview.
-So, you have got him?
-That's all I can tell you right now.
You gotta trust me.
-I want more than that.
-[sighs]
Okay.
It was all down to you, you know.
-What?
-Your DNA.
Sorry, what do you mean?
I'll get back to you,
Stina, when we know more.
[gloomy music playing]
[phone GPS]
Continue straight ahead for 200 metres
then turn right
on Änggatan toward Kanberget.
[gloomy music continues]
Continue straight ahead for 300
metres then turn right on Smedgatan.
You have arrived at your destination,
Bergsgatan 10.
[footsteps approaching]
-Can't sleep either?
-Oh. Hey.
Sleeping's impossible.
I come here sometimes.
It's the first time for me.
-What if I'm wrong, though, John?
-About what?
This is, for me and my method,
the biggest breakthrough since I started.
I might have missed something,
a little detail.
What sort of detail though?
[inhales] Well, infidelity.
Other siblings, family ties.
The human factor's always there.
-Yeah, and it'll always be there.
-Yeah, yeah. You're not wrong.
[sniffs]
[sighs] Let's try
and get some sleep, then.
-Long day tomorrow.
-Yeah.
[sinister music playing]
[Gunilla] See you tonight.
[door thuds, echoes]
[sighs]
[music intensifies]
[footsteps approaching]
[rain patters]
-[Lollo] Did you get any sleep, Francy?
-[chuckles] Nah.
I just can't get
my head around it, you know?
That he was right there all along.
So close.
Yeah, and the amount of times
I have walked past here.
[tactical officer]
The time is 06:24. We're moving in.
-[radio beeps]
-Copy that.
[suspenseful music playing]
-[tactical officer 1] State position.
-[tactical officer 2] Ready to breach.
[suspenseful music pulsating]
[tactical officers] Armed police!
[tactical officer 1] Don't move!
[music becomes tense]
[officer] Please turn around,
hold out your hands, palms facing upwards.
[camera beeps, clicks]
[tense music builds]
[music halts]
[phone GPS] In two kilometres.
Your destination
is on the right, Älgbosätter.
[engine turns off]
[bird squawking]
We, uh, filed a petition
for voluntary swabbing in 2004
and he was a no-show.
They match.
The DNA's a match. It's him.
One hundred percent certain.
I still need to process
and record everything,
but… I just wanted you to know.
[retrained optimistic music playing]
[music fades]
[mobile phone ringing]
Hi.
How did it go?
It's him.
The DNA's a match.
-Where are you?
-Uh, I…
Just out driving, eh…
I'm in Älgbosätter,
where the family trees merge.
-Okay.
-I had to get out of that hotel room.
[exhales] Look, I…
I've got a lot on but, uh…
I… I want to thank you.
Thank you.
Come down the station when you get back.
[door opens]
[tense echoing]
Shall we start?
[tense echoing fades]
[recorder beeps]
[John clears throat]
David, you're here… because… we have
very good cause to suspect you
of the murder of Adnan Abbas
and Gunilla Pairson.
So how do you answer to that?
[David] Well…
I did it.
I murdered them.
[tense music playing]
Okay.
David, I have a lot
of questions to ask you.
But first of all,
I want to ask why… you did it.
Why did you kill Adnan and Gunilla?
I only required two of them.
People.
You only required two?
Well, you must kill two of them,
people, to find peace in your head.
And where did you hear that?
Is that a… a voice in your head?
[music fades]
[lift dings]
-Hey.
-[Francy] Hi.
Hi, Per.
How's things?
Well,
he confessed.
So, tell me.
[John] Yeah, well,
he's a very… lonely kind of person.
[Francy] We checked his phone records.
In the last two years, he's made
just six personal phone calls,
sent two or three text messages,
all of them to his brother,
and both parents are deceased.
He's restricted himself
to a very limited area,
principally his flat
and a number of local shops.
It's almost like he… doesn't exist.
-Ta-da.
-Oh, great.
Thank you.
[John clears throat]
Ah, thank you.
This is the most tragic case
we have ever worked on,
and it took such a long time.
But I really think that we must honour
and celebrate
the fact that we all succeeded.
We have recovered the necessary evidence.
We got the confession.
And so…
-[cork pops]
-[John exhales]
[Francy chuckles softly]
[Francy] Thanks.
Is there any lemonade?
[Francy and Lollo laugh]
You really need to get over yourself, Per.
No, no, but…
Join us, come on. Just a little sip.
[Francy chuckles]
[all] Cheers.
[doorbell rings]
-Hey.
-Hi.
[man grunts]
I will keep this brief.
-Have you caught him, John?
-Yeah.
He's confessed and the DNA matches.
It's him.
[man] I dreamt of Gunilla last night.
I don't normally remember
my dreams, bu… but I…
When I woke, it was so clear.
I…
[sniffs]
-I'm sorry.
-No, no.
[man sighs]
Thank you.
[poignant music playing]
Hello, it's Saad.
Yeah.
[door unlocks]
[poignant music continues]
[objects clattering]
-Elena.
-[shopping bag clatters]
I heard. I heard, Saad.
-Maya.
-[Elena] Maya.
-Hi, uh…
-Hi.
-Stefan Nilsson?
-Yeah, that's me.
We are with the police.
This is my colleague Peter Lundin.
Oh, uh… What's going on?
It's about your brother, David.
Okay.
[poignant music continues]
[kids chattering indistinctly]
[Stefan inhales deeply]
[train rattles]
[music ends]
-I better have two of them, then.
-[chuckles] Yeah. Go ahead.
-[Per] Mmm.
-[John] Thanks.
Lovely.
I didn't think this day
would ever come, you know.
The guy who did it, he…
he buried us alive.
He ruined our lives.
Is that Adnan there in that picture?
-[Elena] Mm. Mm-hmm.
-[Saad] Mm.
What was he like?
He was…
He was so…
-He couldn't sit still.
-Mm-hmm.
But… he was also so kind and loving.
We buried our son in Lebanon.
There were thousands
who came to attend Adnan's funeral.
[Elena inhales deeply]
You grieve for 40 days.
After that, well, you must move on, but…
I can't.
I can't.
-I understand.
-Yeah.
[Elena inhales purposefully]
But now, things might get
a little better, don't you think, Saad?
Mm. Mm-hmm.
Perhaps.
And, er…
You…
You… You kept your word to me.
You…
caught the man who did it.
Mm.
That's right.
Yeah, we did.
-We couldn't have done it without Per.
-Ah…
[John] It's true.
It's Adnan's.
I recognise it.
[Saad] I mended it.
I want, um… I want you to have it.
But you really don't have to do that.
I mean it.
I want you to take it, really.
-[Elena] Yes.
-[Saad] I insist.
[exhales softly]
[poignant music playing]
If you'd like.
Thank you.
[door closes]
[girl] Hello.
Hey, Gunilla. Say hi.
Hi!
-[John] Hello.
-[Per] Hi.
She's our youngest daughter.
She was born three years after Adnan died.
We… We named…
her after the lady who…
who tried to save our Adnan.
[poignant music continues]
[music fades]
So, what happens now?
Well, uh…
-Prosecutor's getting ready for trial…
-With you, I mean.
What happens to you?
What you gonna do now?
[door shuts]
Henry, I know that, uh…
I haven't always been
around over the years
for you.
But I'd really like us to, uh,
hang out a bit more together, you know?
Maybe we could do something?
Okay. What, um…
-What do you have in mind?
-Well we… could play tennis.
[Henry] Tennis?
No?
A stupid idea. You're way too busy.
We could…
go… diving?
Yeah?
I found some old photo albums.
You and mum went scuba diving
and, um… and it looked really cool.
-[laughs]
-I'd love to.
[Henry] Hm.
Let's do that.
I'll sign us up.
Yeah, sure.
Great.
[light optimistic music playing]
Yeah.
I read about the, uh, genealogy thing.
Oh, did you?
Don't you think I read the news?
[chuckles]
Course I do.
[exhales]
Congrats, Dad.
Thanks.
-I'll get some more coffee.
-Mm.
And as you may know, the double murder
in Linköping might not have been solved
if it wasn't for this amazing method.
And on that note,
I want to thank you for your time.
And you can get your tests here
if you like.
'Cause like I said, we need
to get as many people as possible tested.
Thank you so much for coming.
DNA
TRACKING ANCESTORS AND KILLERS
[applause fades]
[watch ticks]
-Thank you.
-[indistinct chatter]
-Here you go.
-Thanks so much. It was interesting.
-[spectator] Thank you.
-[Per] Thanks.
-Klara, can you take over?
-[Klara] Yeah.
-Hi.
-Hi.
You're here.
I was going to call but, uh,
I saw you were giving a lecture here.
Yeah, that's right.
Well, I don't need your DNA
as I got it already.
So, I've been thinking.
I want to do a story about this,
about you, DNA and genealogy and so on.
Oh, you're thinking of an article?
It needs to be thorough,
a lot more than just one article.
It needs to be a book.
[overlapping background chatter]
[Per] Is that…
[Stina] That's David,
and that's me next to him.
I want to understand
exactly what happened.
And I get that.
A book?
That sounds like a very good idea.
Mm-hmm.
[poignant music playing]
[poignant music swells]
[music fades]