French father and daughter killed in Iceland had been living in Ireland for 10 years

Irish Times

20-06-2025

In
Iceland's
capital Reykjavík, the longest day of the year is just around the corner. The city is experiencing the perpetual daylight that will last for weeks.
At the old harbour, the five-star Reykjavík Edition hotel is bustling. This is a stylish, redeveloped area, catering for tourists as well as visitors to the nearby concert hall.
But the Nordic city, reputed for its safety, is reeling from a double homicide that has left residents shocked.
Just after 7am last Saturday, a man aged 58 and a woman aged about 30 were found dead at the Reykjavík hotel after sustaining stab wounds. Police also found a woman aged 56 who also had serious stab wounds.
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The victims were the husband and daughter of the woman, who is suspected of murdering them.
Their names have not yet been released, which is normal policing protocol in Iceland.
The family was French, but had been living in Dublin for about 10 years, said Icelandic police officer, superintendent Ævar Pálmi Pálmason, who is leading the investigation.
Icelandic police have been working closely with
An Garda Síochána
, according to Pálmason. The family of the deceased have been informed.
The suspect is still in hospital, where she is receiving medical treatment for her wounds. She was questioned on Wednesday by police.
'The next steps are to keep gathering information and evidence, and co-operating with both French and Irish authorities,' said Pálmason.
The Reykjavík Edition hotel where an Irish-based French father and daughter were killed last weekend. Photograph: Karen McHugh
Icelandic police have 12 weeks to press charges, if the investigation leads to a prosecution.
A source familiar with the investigation said that police had seized a knife from the scene which they are examining forensically as they believe it is the weapon used to kill the father and daughter.
One line of inquiry being investigated is that the two were attacked as they slept.
Just more than a fifth bigger than the island of Ireland but with a population of only 389,000, Iceland is known for its low crime rate.
There were no more than three murders per year between 2010 and 2019 and no murders at all in 2003, 2006 and 2008, but the rate has been increasing, with eight murders in 2024 and six people killed so far this year.
At the clothing store GK Reykjavík,
close to the hotel, Birkir Már Hafberg and Guðrún Z Jónsdóttir discussed the events.
'I was actually working that day here. It's very shocking – because also, the Edition is a very high-class hotel,' said Jónsdóttir.
Saturday was an otherwise joyful day in the Icelandic calendar. Almost 3,000 people graduated from the University of Iceland that morning.
'I was at a graduation party. It was like a whole conversation – the whole party kind of stopped, almost, and we were all talking about it,' said Hafberg.
'It's not something that we're used to. It's just... out of place.'
'Especially because it's a family tragedy,' said Jónsdóttir. 'It's very sad.'
The Reykjavík Edition hotel where an Irish-based French father and daughter were killed last weekend. Photograph: Karen McHugh
Across the hall in Hafnartorg Gallery is a trendy food court adjacent to the Edition hotel.
'In Mexico, you hear about these things all the time, so you kind of build a thick skin, but not here,' said chef Jeronimo Cadena, who is originally from Mexico.
'I was shocked. The fact that it's so close by and in Iceland, you don't expect those things to happen here. It doesn't happen regularly, this kind of violent crime.'
Guðmundur Ágúst Heiðarsson was in the Reykjavik Edition late Friday night, attending a party at the hotel's well-known rooftop bar.
'Just to be in that area, and to be walking away from that area at the time, it is a shock. This is very unusual to see in Iceland,' he said.
James Long, a tourist from New York visiting Iceland. Photograph: Karen McHugh
James Long, a tourist from New York, came to Iceland to take part in the city's Midnight Sun Run which takes place to celebrate the summer solstice.
'When I'm on vacation I check out from the news entirely,' he said.
'It's just one of those breaks from real life. It's terrible to hear about this.' –
Additional reporting by Conor Gallagher