‘Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier’ ending explained

Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier is a German true crime docuseries based on the real life disappearance of Birgit Meier in 1989. The four-part limited series features Birgit's family members, colleagues, and law enforcement personnel talking about the jarring 31-year-long investigation.

Within four hours, the docuseries covers the hunt for Birgit Meier, headed by her brother Wolfgang Sielaff. The latter was the head of the Criminal Investigation Department in Hamburg at the time of her disappearance and led the tenacious investigation.

Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier is now available to watch on Netflix.

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'Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier' synopsis

Birgit Meier, a 41-year-old woman, disappeared on 14 August 1989 from her home in Lüneburg, Germany. The police were under the impression that the case was that of suicide. However, her family members found it highly unlikely.

As described by her loved ones, Birgit was a lively and compassionate woman who was very attached to her mother and daughter. She would have never run away or left them willingly.

Birgit's brother, Wolfgang, however, had another theory. He believed her to be a victim of a brutal crime. Around the time of her disappearance, serial homicides were reported in the Göhrde forest, diverting police's focus from Birgit's case.

It wasn't until 1993 that the police had any definitive leads on the case. When they discovered that Birgit had met with a gardener named Kurt-Werner Wichmann a few weeks before her disappearance, they searched his residence. They found appalling things at his house including weapons, sedatives, and a hidden torture room.

It was discovered that Wichmann had been a deeply troubled individual right from his childhood and one could only imagine what he might have done with Birgit. However, there was no questioning as he committed suicide in police custody. Coupled with that, Birgit's body was never found.

Despite the obvious culpability of Wichmann, the case once again reached a standstill for 23 long years.

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Was the case of Birgit Meier solved?

Police missteps and ineptitude led to low spirits among Birgit's family. It was then that Wolfgang Sielaff, her brother, decided to take matters into his own hands. At the end of Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier, Wolfgang assembles his own team of investigators.

The dream team, akin to OJ's dream team, comprised of experts in law, law enforcement, forensics, and anthropology.

The famous search of Wichmann's house led to some shocking revelations. After relentless efforts, the team found a peculiar pit in his garage. Buried deep within the pit were the remains of Birgit Meier, who could be identified by her husband because his gifted earring was still visible on her corpse.

It was also revealed during the autopsy that she had been shot in the head and that was the cause of her death.

Birgit's family finally found closure but the harrowing details of her kidnapping and murder will forever haunt them. After the successful search for Birgit, Lüneburg police department launched a property-wide search of Wichmann's house believing that other victims might also be buried there.

The search opened a Pandora's box, revealing 400 pieces of evidence, which could be reasonably connected to an equivalent number of crimes.

Witnessing the great developments on Birgit's case, police also reopened the case of Göhrde murders. With the advent of DNA technology in 2016, it was now possible for forensic experts to link Wichmann's DNA to Göhrde murders as well. Police believe Wichmann did not act alone in the forest murders and had an accomplice.

Through the docuseries, the police urged those who may have possessed knowledge of the cases but remained silent for 31 years to come forward. The families of all of Wichmann's victims deserve closure and investigators need help in fulfilling that endeavor.

Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier is now available to stream on Netflix.