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France murder victim identified after 20 years; suspect arrested
Hakima Boukerouis's body was found in January 2005 in Saint-Quirin, France, and she was unidentified for more than two decades until now. French police identified her using familial DNA searching, and a suspect has been arrested in the murder. Boukerouis is the fifth victim named under Interpol's Operation Identify Me, the international campaign launched in 2023, which has brought renewed attention to cold cases.
Why It Matters
The case illustrates how international cooperation and advances in DNA techniques are helping resolve long-unsolved murders, highlighting ongoing efforts to identify missing people across Europe.
Timeline
4 Events
Hakima Boukerouis identified; suspect arrested
April 28, 2026
Hakima Boukerouis was identified by French police using familial DNA searching, and a suspect in her murder was arrested. Interpol noted this is the campaign's first arrest since it began in 2023; limited details were released due to ongoing investigations.
Operation Identify Me launched
2023
Interpol launched Operation Identify Me in 2023, an international campaign to identify murdered or missing women across six European countries.
Ainoha Izaga Ibieta Lima identified after 2018 discovery in Spain
2018
A woman found dead in Spain in 2018 was identified as Ainoha Izaga Ibieta Lima, a 33-year-old from Paraguay.
Body of Hakima Boukerouis found in Saint-Quirin
January 2005
Hakima Boukerouis's body was discovered in a concealed water butt in the village of Saint-Quirin, and she was not identified at the time.