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In a not-so-surprising twist of fate, another horrific chapter unfolds in Germany’s ever-growing anthology of societal blunders: a young woman was recently discovered in a forest—an ideal setting for a picnic, unless, of course, you’re the poor SAP who ended up raped, strangled, and burned. Nothing screams “charming getaway” like a backdrop of dark deeds and chilling discoveries.

Interpol, the world’s least favorite crime-solving agency, has taken it upon themselves to wave around a shiny list of 46 cold cases, each involving women who met their unfortunate ends in suspicious circumstances. It’s almost like they figured, “Hey, if we tell people about these dark stories, someone might just venture out from their social media-induced stupor and become a part of the solution—or at least share a meme about it.”

Somehow, 1,800 tips materialized from the populace, proof that everyone loves a good true-crime story, but just not enough to do anything practical. Relatives are now being asked to take a trip down memory lane, aided by facial reconstructions and other CSI-style theatrics, which may as well just be accompanied by a catchy jingle: “Who killed these ladies? Come help fill the blanks and have a laugh!”

The irony is a delicious dish best served cold: a woman discovered in a bag in a French suburb and countless others languishing in hotel rooms, not far from the same luxurious spots travelers flock to for “self-care” weekends. Meanwhile, families silently scream into the void, desperately hoping their tips will be the lottery ticket they need to win a piece of closure.

Since May 2023, Interpol has been hitting the streets with its Identify Me campaign—great name for a tragic laundry list, right? And just two days into it, one woman’s family identified her tattoo after 31 years, giving everyone a sense of satisfaction that only comes when a long-lost name aligns with a news headline. It’s like a grim reuniting party nobody wanted to throw.

Now, as Interpol unleashes its Black Notices—a fancy title for the police’s ‘Hope You Recognize This Body!’—we’re reminded that each nameless victim had a life, dreams, and—surprise—relatives who must now sift through the grim advertisement of their lost loved ones, hoping against hope that someone out there might just have that crucial, yet squirmishly vague, detail needed to wrap this horror story with a bow.

So, what’s our takeaway from this grim comedy of errors? Perhaps it’s that the public could be the key to unlocking names and fates while conveniently ignoring the systemic failures that allowed these tragedies to pile up like so many unsolved mysteries in Netflix’s suggestion algorithms. After all, isn’t justice just another service waiting for a five-star review from the public who binge-watches tragedies like they’re the newest season of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”? Who needs live action when you’ve got cold cases heating things up?

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