Spanish police have finally identified a woman whose body was found near Barcelona 20 years ago. Liudmila Zavada, a Russian citizen, was discovered on 3 July 2005 in Viladecans. She wore a pink top, trousers, and shoes. Police said she had been dead less than 24 hours. They suspected foul play because her body had been moved before discovery.
For years, no one knew who she was. In 2023, Spanish police submitted her case to Interpol’s Identify Me campaign. The program aims to identify women found dead across Europe. Interpol shared biometric data with 196 member countries. Fingerprints in Turkey matched Zavada. DNA tests with a close relative confirmed her identity.
Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said the identification gives hope to families of missing persons. It also provides new leads for investigators.
This marks the third success for the campaign. Earlier, Interpol helped identify Rita Roberts, a British woman murdered in Belgium in 1992, and Ainoha Izaga Ibieta Lima, found dead in Spain in 2018.
The Identify Me campaign shows how global cooperation and technology can solve decades-old mysteries. Families finally get answers and closure after years of uncertainty.
