ZDF is extending its true crime series XY gelöst by four additional episodes. The new installments will once again be hosted by Sven Voss (50), who examines criminal cases whose resolution sometimes took decades. All four episodes will be available on the network's streaming service starting September 9, 2026. On linear television, they will air in double features on September 16 and November 25, 2026, each starting at 8:15 PM. The network announced this on Wednesday.
Voss brings in front of the camera those people who were involved in the investigations at the time: detectives, prosecutors, experts, and other witnesses. Together with them, he traces the path from the first clue to the conviction of the perpetrators.
This is complemented by reenacted scenes and footage from the actual crime scenes. The focus is on the question of which turning point brought the breakthrough and which investigative methods were able to move even stalled cases forward.
A Phone Call After 22 Years
The opening episode is titled Stumm vor Angst. A 21-year-old woman disappears during an evening walk and is brutally murdered. Much points to a motive of a certain nature, but the search for the perpetrator leads nowhere. Only 22 years after the crime does an unexpected phone call bring investigators a crucial breakthrough.
Die Tote im Rollkoffer also deals with a deceased woman, but with the opposite problem: The criminal police find a female body but don't know who the woman is. No matching missing person report exists anywhere. So the detectives turn to Aktenzeichen XY... Ungelöst. A viewer tip eventually leads to the identification of the deceased. From there, however, it's still a long way to her killer.
Twelve Days Until the Discovery in the Pond
The third episode is titled Der letzte Schulweg. A seven-year-old girl disappears on her way to school, and twelve days later she is found dead in a pond. Two students saw the perpetrator before the crime, but their statements are insufficient for identification. Only years later do a tiny detail and a then completely new scientific method bring the turning point.
In Der Frauenjäger, Voss concludes by reconstructing the hunt for a serial offender who was attributed with nearly 60 assaults on women. The police deploy massive personnel resources, try new investigative approaches, and interrogate for hours until the unknown suspect finally gets a name.
Sven Voss Has Been the Face of the Series Since 2022
Sven Voss has been presenting XY gelöst since 2022. He has been working for ZDF for more than 25 years, and since 2011 he has been hosting das aktuelle sportstudio among other programs. In 2024, another format was added with XY history, which he also hosts.
