Skinned Alive: The Harrowing Case of Katarzyna Zowada

The first impression, due to where the skin had been caught, was that the propellors had severed the body, leaving behind only a chunk of skin, but as the skin was examined, it was found that it had been “flayed” from ear to groin, and with one other slash that travelled from the shoulder blade to just below one of her breasts; Katarzyna’s head and limbs were also severed from her body. The skin was mostly intact, which didn’t fit with the idea of her body being caught within one of the propellors, which made the discovery even more gruesome - the way the skin had been removed indicated that it was more than likely prepared in a way so that the murderer could wear the skin as a body suit. 

Several days after the harrowing discovery, on January 14th, Katarzyna’s right leg, a section of her buttock and a few items of clothing were found further up the Vistula River - no other remains have ever been located.

It was only in 2012, once advances in forensics had progressed, that the “Wroclaw Medical University” was able to create a 3D model detailing the injuries that had been inflicted on the victim.

A special team of officers, known as the “X-Files” exhumed the remains of Katarzyna’s body and the forensic experts were able to conclude that the killer wounded Katarzyna with a sharp implement on her neck, armpit and groin which would have caused her momentous pain before she would have eventually bled to death. 

In May of 1999, the Forensic Medicine Unit in Krakow received the body of a man who had been decapitated, and the head had been scalped—the killer? His son.

The police were informed of the murder by the killer's elderly Grandfather, who called to say he believed his grandson, Vladimir W, had murdered his own father. 

t came to light that Vladimir had been seen wearing his father's skinned face, stretched over his own as a grotesque mask.

Naturally, this put Vladimir W on the police radar for being Katarzyna’s killer. 

The police at the time were hoping that they had caught Katarzyna’s killer as, not only had the method of mutilation been similar, but Vladimir had attended the same University as Katarzyna.

Both had studied the same Psychology course, but Vladimir had started his course a year earlier than Katarzyna and had dropped out before he finished the course.

This weak connection was not enough to support the accusation and Vladimir was never charged with her murder, but he was sentenced to 25 years for the murder of his father. 

DNA was found on Katarzyna’s skin, but when it was analysed against other suspects and ran through a list of sex offenders, the DNA sample proved no matches, subsequently rendering the case cold.

It was 19 years later before the police were finally able to make an arrest for the murder and mutilation of Katarzyna.

A cold case team of the Polish Law Enforcement, known as “Archive X”,  exhumed Katarzyna’s remains and they were able to retrieve traces of a rare plant, which ultimately led to them accurately pinpointing where Katarzyna may have been murdered. 

On October 4th 2017, police arrested 52-year-old Robert Janczewski. He was former person of interest in 1999 and fit the psychological profile coined by the FBI. Janczewski apparently repeatedly visited Katarzyna’s grave, and was known to harass women.

Janczewski had also previously worked in a “dissecting lab” and at the Cracow Institute of Zoology where he would observe the process of preparing animal skins, however, Janczewski’s role at the institute was terminated the day after he had killed all the rabbits during his shift.

The police acted on his arrest after they received a letter from the suspect's friend—but the contents of this letter have never been released to the public.

The trial began on February 12th 2020, and over 800 files that had been put together over the years were brought into the courtroom.

Investigators claimed that Janczewski tortured the Katarzyna, inflicting wounds with a hard object, causing numerous fractures, as well as stab wounds and multiple lacerations.

Experts even suggested that Janczewski was inspired by the character “Buffalo Bill” from the infamous Silence of the Lambs novel/movie, who was a serial killer who prayed upon women and removed their skin.

As this part of the trial was not open to the public, it is not known what defense was given for Janczewski. 

In 2022 Robert Janczewski was charged with “aggravated murder with particular cruelty” and was sentenced to life in prison for the murder and mutilation of Katarzyna Zowada. 

However, Janczeski—and his family—claim that he is innocent and that the case against him was based purely on circumstantial evidence.

Sources: Fakt, Mysteriesunsolved.com, r/TrueCrime, Vocal.Media