• Liudmila Zavada identified 20 years after her body was found in Spain.
• The case is part of Interpol's Operation Identify Me campaign.
• Evidence suggests foul play in Zavada's death.
• Her identification offers hope to families of missing persons.
• 44 unsolved cases remain under the campaign's purview.

A woman whose body was discovered in Spain more than 20 years ago has been identified as Liudmila Zavada, a 31-year-old Russian citizen. The identification comes from an international police campaign called "Operation Identify Me," which was launched to resolve cold cases involving women who were murdered or died under suspicious circumstances across Europe, according to BBC.

Zavada was found in July 2005 alongside a road in a small town near Barcelona, dressed in a pink floral top, pink trousers, and pink shoes, leading to her nickname, "the woman in pink." Authorities deemed her death suspicious, indicating that evidence showed her body had been moved shortly before its discovery, as it had been less than 24 hours since her death. Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza stated that "after 20 years, an unknown woman has been given back her name," bringing hope to families of missing persons, according to CBS News and India Times.

The case was submitted to the "Identify Me" initiative in 2024, allowing for extensive sharing of information including facial reconstructions and biometric data with Interpol’s 196 member countries. Turkish authorities matched Zavada's fingerprints with those in a national database, while a DNA comparison with a close relative confirmed her identity. This advancement underscores the collaborative effort of global law enforcement agencies to solve cold cases, including the identification of two other women through the same campaign, according to BBC, CBS News, and India Times.

As part of Operation Identify Me, there are still 44 unidentified women remaining, with the oldest case dating back to 1976. The initiative aims to tackle growing challenges presented by international missing persons cases, with a specific focus on the disproportionate impact of gender-based violence on women. Each successful identification not only brings closure but can also provide critical leads for ongoing investigations, according to BBC and CBS News.