MIŁOSZYCE — 1997 · Murder
The Miłoszyce Murder and the Tomasz Komenda Miscarriage of Justice
On New Year's Eve 1996-97, after a party at a disco in the village of Miłoszyce near Wrocław, a 15-year-old girl was found dead near the club. Years later Tomasz Komenda was detained and, despite many witnesses confirming he had been elsewhere that night, was sentenced in 2004 to 25 years in prison. When new forensic tests showed he could not have been involved, Komenda was released in March 2018 and acquitted by the Supreme Court in May 2018 after 18 years of wrongful imprisonment. The same year two men were arrested on new evidence, and the Wrocław Court of Appeal sentenced them to 25 and 15 years; the Supreme Court upheld the verdicts. Komenda received one of the largest compensation awards in Polish history and died in 2024.
- Date
- 1997
- Place
- Lower Silesia, Poland, Miłoszyce, PL
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 51.0360, 17.3300 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 1 January 1997A 15-year-old girl was found dead after a New Year's party in Miłoszyce.
- 2004Tomasz Komenda was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
- March 2018Komenda was released after new forensic tests.
- 16 May 2018The Supreme Court acquitted Komenda.
- 2018Two men believed to be the real perpetrators were arrested.
- Following yearsThe two were sentenced to 25 and 15 years; the Supreme Court upheld the verdicts.
Sources
- Notes From Poland — Man wrongly imprisoned for 18 years wins record compensation notesfrompoland.com ↗
- PAP — Polish man who spent 18 years in prison after wrongful conviction dies pap.pl ↗
- TVN24 — Zbrodnia w Miłoszycach: kasacje oddalone tvn24.pl ↗
- Daily Herald — Poland's top court acquits man who spent 18 years in jail dailyherald.com ↗
- Notes from Poland
- PAP
- TVN24
- Daily Herald / AP
Source grade B: at least one verifiable linked source. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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Categories
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.