Profiler Opens Archives: From Cold Case to Conviction

A Profiler Opens His Archives

Axel Petermann spent decades working as a criminal profiler at Germany's LKA Bremen and later at LKA North Rhine-Westphalia, where he investigated some of the darkest cases in criminal history. Now, together with journalist Tatjana Kreidler, he has published a book with Ullstein Verlag that offers rare insight into the work of a criminal profiler. The book combines classic true crime storytelling with scientific criminology, demonstrating how police develop offender profiles and what psychological mechanisms drive serious crimes.

What sets this book apart from traditional true crime literature is its analytical approach. Petermann does not merely describe the crimes—he explains in detail the profiling process itself: from analyzing crime scenes, interpreting offender behavior, to narrowing down suspects. Readers gain insight into the methods police use to solve the most serious crimes.

Stefanie Kruger: 31 Years to Justice

One of the most spectacular cases Petermann chronicles is the disappearance of 14-year-old Stefanie Kruger on August 7, 1992. The case remained unsolved for three decades, gathering dust in the basement archives of LKA North Rhine-Westphalia in Dortmund. What makes this case remarkable is that its resolution came not through traditional detective work, but through modern DNA genealogy.