Macabre Killer Peter Madsen Gets Another 21 Months

He was already serving life for one of Denmark's most notorious murders, but Peter Madsen just got another 21 months tacked on to his sentence. A court on Tuesday handed down the additional time for Madsen's stunning, if short-lived, escape from a prison in suburban Copenhagen last year, reports Euronews. Madsen, who was convicted of murdering and dismembering journalist Kim Wall aboard his submarine in 2017, made it about a half-mile outside the prison before being captured, per the New York Times. In addition to the extra time, he must pay about $3,000 to a psychologist he threatened to kill during the escape. A fake explosives belt helped him get out.

While an additional 21 months on a life sentence might not seem like much of a penalty, it could have ramifications for Madsen, both stories note. Under Denmark's rules, Madsen would be eligible for release on probation in 12 years, but the prison escape is likely to hurt his chances of earning early release. Journalist Wall went on Madsen's homemade submarine to conduct an interview and was never seen alive again. Her torso later washed up on a Copenhagen beach, and Madsen was subsequently charged with murder. (A friend of Wall's spent months investigating her disappearance, and the work helped police in their own inquiry.)