Jens Söring

Background

Jens Söring is a German citizen born in 1966 who was arrested in one of the most controversial cases in American criminal justice. The case involves the murder of American couple Derek and Nancy Haysom, whose bodies were found in their home in Bedford County, Virginia, on March 30, 1990. Söring was accused alongside Elizabeth Haysom, the daughter of the murdered couple, who disappeared from the courtroom before the end of the trial.

The Trial and Conviction

Jens Söring was charged with double murder based on what is known as circumstantial evidence — the evidence was never entirely convincing. The American prosecutor claimed that Söring had committed the murders of the Havsoms' parents while he was in a relationship with their daughter. The trial took place in 1986, and Söring was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole — not just once, but twice.

The actual crime scene and the circumstances surrounding the crime were never fully clarified. Söring has long maintained that he was made a scapegoat, and that Elizabeth Haysom — who was never found or brought to trial — was the actual perpetrator. This claim has gained increasing credibility among legal scholars, journalists, and human rights activists.

Evidence Under Scrutiny

In the years following the conviction, several problems with the trial were exposed. Among other things, doubt was cast on the credibility of witness testimony and forensic evidence. There were no solid DNA evidence or fingerprints that directly connected Söring to the crime scene. Instead, the case rested on indirect indicators, psychological profiles, and witness claims that were later considered to be erroneous or influenced by police pressure.