A Norwegian mother gave emotional testimony Thursday in the trial of the man accused of killing her 20-year-old daughter. Therese Bjørnnes told the court that waiting for the trial has been difficult and that the consequences extend far beyond her daughter's death.
"It is not just one life that is destroyed," Bjørnnes said from the witness box. "The ripple effects are enormous."
The 35-year-old defendant was not present in the courtroom when Linea's mother and older sister gave their statements. "I didn't want him that close," the mother explained. "It would have been disgusting."
Linea Bjørnnes died at St. Olav's Hospital on December 18 last year. The accused man denies criminal guilt but admitted in a police recording that he "went far over the line" and "lost control."
The court heard that Linea and the defendant lived next door to each other in a municipal housing block in Stjørdal during autumn 2023. The man claimed they were in a relationship, telling the court he asked Linea "are we a couple now?" and she said yes.
Linea's family strongly disputed this characterization. "It was difficult to hear the accused talk about how rosy the relationship was," Therese Bjørnnes testified. "I wouldn't say it was, and it wasn't a relationship in that sense. She used him to get access to drugs."
The 14-year age difference between the pair was also discussed in court. When questioned about it, the defendant said he saw how mature Linea was for her age after getting to know her better.
Police responded to incidents involving the pair in the days before Linea's death. Officers visited her address on December 16 last year, and again hours before she was found lifeless at her home in Hegra, Stjørdal on December 17.
A police officer testified that Linea had called to have the man removed from her apartment. "She seemed fine, was easy to talk to and answered questions properly," the officer said. "Linea was difficult to interpret. She showed no signs of having been exposed to violence and denied it herself."
The officer described the man as appearing intoxicated and noted drug use equipment was visible in Linea's apartment. Police ultimately drove the man back to his residence.
Medical specialists testified that Linea's cause of death is believed to be brain damage from oxygen deprivation. They found no physical evidence explaining how this occurred but detected amphetamine in her blood.
Doctors ended life support approximately ten hours after Linea was found unconscious. She was declared dead at 6:15 AM on December 18.
"I wish she could have avoided being resuscitated only to die once more," her mother told the court.
Linea's father expressed hope for the maximum possible punishment, while acknowledging no sentence would feel adequate. "It's not enough," he said. "What he has done is inhuman."
The case highlights concerning patterns where vulnerable young women become entangled with older men who have histories of violence and substance abuse issues. Norway's justice system now faces the challenge of delivering appropriate justice in this tragic case that has devastated multiple families.