Kriti Mehrotra
It was October 9, 2004, when 8-year-old Mohammed Ammouri and 56-year-old Anna-Lena Svensson were fatally stabbed in broad daylight, affecting more than two families. This much has even been chronicled in Netflix’s ‘The Breakthrough,’ a drama that delves deep into how the investigations into this case became the second largest in Swedish history. After all, it took 16 years and genetic genealogy for the killer to finally be caught, with the one behind the latter process being Per Skogkvist in the original production.
Per Skogkvist is Largely Based on Peter Sjölund
While producers likely took some creative liberties with the character of Per to ensure lasting audience interest in every sense of the term, he is indeed based on real-life genealogist Peter Sjölund. It was he who helped lead detective Jan Staaf bring matters to a close in 2020. However, the way this came about is a bit different than what was portrayed in the series. According to reports, it was actually the genealogist who contacted the authorities to offer his help after discovering that they were looking into genealogy testing after Sweden lifted the probation on authorities to use public databases to help them in cases.
By this point, though, as explored in the scene, Peter was already doing his best to offer his services to help people across the Nordic area and educate them about the significance of DNA. He does have a website too, and with his help in closing this double homicide within a relatively short period in 2020, he has indeed turned his dream of revolutionining the way we see DNA. Whether it be to learn about our history, to know more about our family, or to find missing relatives, he helped people in his homeland see the importance of it on a much larger scale.
As if that’s not enough, we should mention that, like Per, Peter is also extensive in his research. As per records, he did indeed trace the suspect’s DNA that the law enforcement had back to the 1800s before ensuring that he had at least three family lines through which he could find a match. That’s how he landed on the Nyqvist brothers (Nilsson in the show), from where the authorities zeroed in on Daniel Nyqvist (David Nilsson in the show) owing to his reclusive personality matching the criminal profile they had. In the end, he confessed, and his DNA also turned out to be a 100% match to the sample they had.
Peter Sjölund is a DNA Expert in Every Sense
While not much is known about Peter’s early years or upbringing, we do know he first developed an interest in genealogy back when he was in high school. However, because the industry’s scope at that time was not what it is today, he put his passion on the back burner until he simply couldn’t anymore. In fact, it was in 2016 when this family man quit his stable job as a Chemistry professional to kickstart his own organization and website to help people all across the Nordic area learn more about their genetic markup.
Since then, Peter has only climbed the ladder of success with each passing year, and he has even evolved into a successful author. His debut book was published back in 2016, titled ‘Genealogy with DNA’, which he followed with ‘The Swedes and Their Fathers’ the very same year. Then, in 2019, he published ‘From DNA Tests to Family Trees’ as a way to detail his process, which we got an example of through ‘The Breakthrough’ in 2021, which he published with journalist Anna Bodin. His most recent book came out in 2023, titled ‘We Are All Walloons: About True & Untrue Family Histories in Sweden.’
As for Peter’s current standing, he continues to proudly run his website, all the while maintaining his position as an author as well as a family man. However, it’s imperative to note he is not alone anymore in his endeavor; he has a talented team by his side that helps him help clients find the answers they are looking for. Coming to his personal life, it appears as if he is a happily married father of two who has long resided on a farm just outside of Härnösand, Sweden. This farm is an oasis for him, especially with his home having a rich history going back to the witch trials and being on a high with land and lake surrounding it at every turn. It thus comes as no surprise that he is a hobbyist nature photographer, too.
Read More: The Breakthrough: Is Corren a Real Swedish Newspaper? Is Släkt & DNA a Real Website?
