56-year-old IF Metall figure Juha “Jussi” Marttila has been charged with murder and gross violation of grave peace after his partner Annelie, 46, was found dead in a body of water outside Grythyttan. The prosecutor alleges that the woman was strangled at home and her body subsequently hidden in a lake. The accused denies any wrongdoing.
Annelie disappeared from her home in Grythyttan during the night between December 5 and 6, 2024. The case was initially investigated as an abduction, prompting major search operations. Not until mid-March 2025 was the macabre discovery made: Annelie’s body was found in a waterway at Norsbron, wrapped in a duvet and placed inside a garbage bag.
That same evening, her partner, 56-year-old Juha “Jussi” Marttila, was arrested and later detained on suspicion of murder. At the time, Juha held prominent positions as, among other things, chairman of the LO-affiliated union IF Metall’s local branch and safety representative at his workplace.
The Prosecutor’s Case: Strangulation and Dumping
According to the indictment now filed at Örebro District Court, the prosecutor argues that Annelie was killed in the couple’s home on Sjögatan in Grythyttan. According to the charges, Marttila is alleged to have strangled her, resulting in extensive injuries to her neck, including fractures to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage.
After the death, the body was, according to the prosecutor, moved and placed in a nearby lake. Marttila is therefore charged with both murder and violating the sanctity of a grave.
“She Was Sleeping When I Left”
When Marttila was first questioned by the police on December 11, 2024, he was considered a witness. Regarding the morning when Annelie disappeared, he stated that his partner was sleeping when he left the home.
He said this was around 7 a.m. for a meeting in Karlskoga and that everything seemed normal at that point. When he returned home later, Annelie was gone.
In the same interview, Marttila said that his partner’s mobile phone could not be reached during the day, but that this, according to him, was not unusual.
– It’s not unusual for her mobile to be ‘dead’ as she listens to things on her phone at night.
“No Fights”
During subsequent interrogations after Marttila’s arrest, he maintained that the relationship was not violent or conflicted.
– No, no such conflicts.
When asked directly if any violence occurred, he replied:
– No.
He also described Annelie as different when under the influence of alcohol.
– When she has had a bit too much to drink, she is completely different.
Forensic Evidence and Timeline in Focus
The prosecution relies heavily on technical and digital evidence. According to the prosecutor, analyses show that fibres from the duvet in which the body was found match fibres collected in the residence and in Marttila’s car. The garbage bag found with the body is also believed to be linked to bags later found at the accused’s home.
The investigation has also mapped Marttila’s movements before and after the disappearance. Among other things, the prosecutor claims his mobile phones were switched off for parts of December 6, and that phone tower connections place him close to the lake where the body was later discovered. Witnesses will also be heard about Marttila’s actions at his workplace on the same day.
Last Sign of Life from the Mobile
Annelie’s last known contact occurred on the evening of December 5 when her phone connected to a cell tower covering her home in Grythyttan. After that, none of her relatives heard from her again. Her phone has not been found.
According to police analysis, her mobile lost all contact with the network at 04:04 on the night of December 6. No further signs of life have been traced from Annelie since then.
Engagement Rings Raised Suspicions
The investigation shows the couple got engaged in autumn 2024, but when Annelie was later found dead, her engagement ring was missing. During a search of Marttila’s car, his own ring was found instead.
When police asked why the ring was left in the car, Marttila answered:
– She’s not coming home.
When asked how he could be so sure, he replied:
– She’s been gone now two weeks. I usually wear it. But it’s left in the car.
During a subsequent search of Marttila’s new residence, more engagement rings were found, including one inscribed with Annelie’s name and another bearing a different woman’s name.
Money Dispute Days Before Disappearance
In police interviews, Marttila described the relationship with Annelie as having recurrent arguments about money in the days leading up to her disappearance. He said Annelie wanted to borrow large sums to pay off debts and that the issue came up the evening of December 5, just hours before she disappeared.
– She needed 130,000 kronor, what should we do? the man said in police interviews.
He stated further that he was not able to help her financially.
– I said I don’t have that money, I showed her my bank account; that money isn’t there.
But according to Marttila, the conversation was calm and Annelie was composed at the time.
Defense: Based on Circumstantial Evidence
Marttila denies all charges. In police interviews, he has repeated his version that Annelie was sleeping when he left for work in the morning on December 6 and gone when he returned.
His defense lawyer, Christopher Gyllenhammar, has criticized the indictment as being based mainly on circumstantial evidence rather than concrete proof.
– He did not take Annelie’s life. The indictment is mainly based on circumstantial evidence, and the prosecutor has not been able to answer the most essential questions, the lawyer has said.
Four Days of Trial Ahead
A large number of witnesses are scheduled to testify during the trial, including Annelie’s children, her mother, friends, colleagues of the accused, and forensic experts. Marttila himself will also be heard.
The trial is expected to last about four days.