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The worst psychic medium failure in history captured in a single photograph.

Swedish medium Olof Jonsso unwittingly standing next to the killer he was assigned to hunt

Swedish medium Olof Jonsson claimed a special connection with people. When near a person, he maintained he could tell their life story, their likes, and dislikes, and even their thoughts. He said he could touch a person and detect feelings about themselves and other people. He even asserted he could touch an object and establish the identity of people who touched it before him. Thus in 1951, Swedish police sought his help in finding a killer. It was the first, last, and only time the Swedish police used a psychic medium to assist with an investigation.

The murder of John Allan Nilsson

The victim was John Allan Nilsson. Nilsson’s home had been nearly burned to the ground. Police found the cause to be arson and determined that Nilsson had been severely beaten while sleeping in his bed. No hard evidence could be found linking the victim to a killer and there were no witnesses to the assault. With no other evidence, police reached a dead-end in the investigation.

Popular psychic Olof Jonsson assists with the investigation

Over the next year, many psychics called and expressed interest in the case. One psychic medium, Olof Jonsson stood out. Jonsson was well-known in celebrity circles and acted as a medium for several prominent people. He had proven his ability many times using card tricks. As a last resort, the police contacted Olof Jonsson for assistance with the Nilsson case.

Jonsson was handed a rifle owned by Nilsson so he could work his magic. A photo of the moment was taken by investigators. In the photo, you can see Jonsson thoughtfully cradling the rifle while an officer, Tore Hedin, looks on. Despite his claims to be able to “see” the killer anywhere in the world by touching objects belonging or associated with the victim, Jonsson stated he could not identify the killer. The police officer standing next to him must have felt relieved. It was later discovered that Officer Tore Hedin had been the killer.

The truth about Officer Tore Hedin surfaces

For more than a year after Jonsson provided his assistance, Hedin worked on the case but obviously put little effort into finding a solution to the mystery. The case turned on August 22, 1952, when Hedin transformed from an officer of the law to mass-murder in a single night.

Hedin had been rejected by his girlfriend. In a fit of rage, he went to his parents’ home where he slew both sleeping parents with an axe, then set the house on fire. He then proceeded to the village of Hurva, to a retirement home where his girlfriend lived and worked. He went to her room and beat her to death with the handle of his axe. He left the room, went to the manager’s office, and killed her with three blows to the head. He then set the retirement home on fire. Four more people died in the fire.

An officer solves his own murder case

After the melee, Hedin went to nearby Lake Bosarp. He paddled to the middle of the lake, tied weights to his body, and jumped into the water. Police discovered his car on the shoreline. His body was found the next day. Inside the car was a suicide note in which he confessed to the Jonsson murder and explained that he had killed him after the poker game to rob him of his winnings. In this bizarre turn of events, Hedin solved his own murder case, and a prominent Swedish psychic was outed as a fraud.

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Swedish medium Olof Jonsso unwittingly standing next to the killer he was assigned to hunt via Altered Dimensions with usage type - Editorial use (Fair Use)

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Swedish medium Olof Jonsso unwittingly standing next to the killer he was assigned to hunt via Altered Dimensions with usage type - Editorial use (Fair Use)

 

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