Isdal Woman

Isdal Woman events

The investigation

The other investigation

The modern investigation

Discovery of Isdal Woman

Discovery of suitcases

Isdal Woman theories

Personal problems

Mental problems theory

A fraudster

Elaborate suicide theory

A spy network courier

A prostitute

A German spy

A Soviet spy

Isdal Woman

Personal problems

Personal problems that lead to suicide is a theory that raise some points, although just like with other theories we know too little about Isdal Woman to determine how valid those arguments are.

Facts that are supporting the theory:

no one came forward to identify her, so she had no family, friends, colleagues,
in her belongings there were no personal items,
apart from using names of saints in her fake identities there are no clues to her religious background (which was assumed Christian for burial purposes),
her travels without real destination and spending most of the time in rooms suggest a loner or someone, who travels for professional reasons,
her body was found in secluded place, if it was suicide this would mean she was someone, who felt unimportant for the living, especially if she also used flames trying to destroy her body,
changes of identity, appearance, could suggest she felt detached from her own existence,
her meetings with men in hotels did not looked like personal matters, perhaps they were just incidental,
her meeting with naval officer (if took place) could have had something to do with personal matters and had nothing to do with Penguin missiles,

Facts that oppose the theory:

she kept notes where she was and when, which seems to be important enough to write down, this does not look like someone preoccupied with personal problems,
if she traveled to places, where Penguin missiles were tested and her meeting with naval officer took place, this strongly suggest she had goal in her travels,
meetings with men in hotels seems like unusual way to deal with personal problems on a verge of suicide,
she traveled for months without clear destination (unless it was linked to Penguin missiles), which seems unlikely for someone with personal problems,
changing rooms, hotels, appearances suggest someone, who suspects being in danger, not someone who is preoccupied with personal matter,
hotel staff did not noticed her being depressed nor suicidal,
it is not categorically determined if she killed herself or if she was killed by someone else,

Some of the actions before her death look like Isdal Woman could have been person, who runs away from her previous life, someone who feels detached from her past or present life, but at the same time she did not seemed depressed, she seemed to know what she is doing and assumes she is in some sort of possible danger. All of it make this theory rather unlikely.