Jennifer Fairgate case

In May 1995, an unidentified woman using the alias "Jennifer Fairgate" (or "Jennifier Fergate") checked into the Oslo Plaza Hotel (now Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel); she was found deceased days later in her hotel room under mysterious circumstances, with a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators eventually determined that the woman had committed suicide, but the mysterious circumstances of the death has led to speculation.
Due to scant evidence, the case remains one of Norway's most well-known cold cases.
On May 31, 1995, at approximately 10:44 p.m., a woman registered at the Oslo Plaza Hotel under the name "Jennifer Fairgate", although she misspelled her alias twice on hotel forms as "Fergate". She claimed to be 21 years old, provided a fake address in Verlaine, Belgium, and noted that a man named Lois Fairgate would accompany her. Despite standard hotel procedures, she was not asked to present identification or a credit card upon check-in—a significant deviation from the norm.
Jennifer Fairgate was described as elegant, well-dressed, and composed. Witness accounts indicated she spoke fluent English and German with no discernible accent. Her check-in was unremarkable except for the absence of a companion. Lois Fairgate was never seen by hotel staff and his identity remains unknown.
Fairgate was assigned room 2805, a suite on the 28th floor. The hotel was known for hosting international dignitaries, business executives, and travelers of means, making it a venue where privacy and discretion were valued. Fairgate's behavior during her stay was inconspicuous and she made few interactions with staff.
Fairgate remained mostly confined to her room over the next two days. She placed only a single room service order during her stay which was delivered by staff who noted nothing unusual. She made no attempts to pay her bill, prompting the hotel to contact her. Calls to her room went unanswered. She was absent from her room for at least 20 hours. During her stay, Fergate attempted to call two invalid numbers in Seraing and Grâce-Hollogne, Belgium.
By June 3, hotel management grew concerned about Fairgates's unpaid bill which had reached NOK 2,950 (approximately $500 or $1,000 in 2024). A receptionist was sent to her room and saw a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. The receptionist then went to fetch security and the room remained unattended for 15 minutes until security arrived at her room around 7:50 p.m. When a security guard knocked on the door he reportedly heard a muffled gunshot from within. Moments later the head of hotel security entered the room and discovered Fairgate’s body. The police did not arrive until 50 minutes later.
Fairgate's body was found lying on the bed, her head propped against the headboard. She was dressed in black: a blazer, a shirt, and stockings. A single gunshot wound to her forehead appeared to be the cause of death. In her hand was a 9mm Browning pistol. A gunshot hole was also discovered in one of the hotel room's pillows.
The room was almost devoid of personal items. There were no toiletries, identification, or luggage beyond a briefcase containing ammunition. All labels had been removed from her clothing except for one on a blazer, and the pistol’s serial number had been partially filed off, hindering traceability. The door was double-locked from the inside, and there were no signs of forced entry.
Fairgate's autopsy revealed a lack of defensive wounds, indicating no physical struggle had occurred. The fatal gunshot wound to her forehead was consistent with a close-range shot. However, forensic testing did not detect gunshot residue on her hands. Additionally, toxicology reports showed no traces of alcohol in her system, although her body was not tested for drugs.
From the outset, investigators faced significant challenges in determining Jennifer Fairgate’s identity and unraveling the events leading to her death:
A later autopsy revealed that, due to the presence of partially-digested food in her stomach that she ate a day earlier, that Fairgate had actually died the day before her body was discovered. Her grave was opened in October 2016, revealing that her origin was European but not Scandinavian. Recent discoveries link her to Germany. In 2018, it was determined that she was most likely 24 years old.
Due to lack of evidence of a struggle and the discovery of the pistol in her hand, Norwegian police ruled Jennifer Fairgate’s death a suicide with a "99.9% certainty". The absence of gunshot residue or blood on her hands, along with its "awkward" placement, however, has led to the questioning of forensic conclusions.
Another theory suggests Jennifer was murdered. Proponents argue that external parties may have staged the scene to appear as a suicide. The presence of untraceable ammunition and the firearm's odd positioning lend credence to this possibility.
Another theory is that Fairgate was involved in espionage. Her deliberate anonymity, choice of a high-profile hotel frequented by diplomats and executives, and possession of an altered firearm align with tradecraft associated with intelligence operatives.
This theory is bolstered by the sterile state of the room, suggesting deliberate obfuscation, and her linguistic fluency and confident demeanor, consistent with the profile of an intelligence agent.
Fairgate's case gained international attention in 2020 when it was featured in the Netflix series Unsolved Mysteries. The episode "Death in Oslo" reignited public interest, leading to widespread speculation and amateur investigations. Online forums, blogs, and podcasts have since dissected the case, though no conclusive evidence has emerged.