Maritha Ogilvie’s Decade-Long Fight After Son’s Gang-Related Killing Highlights Need for National Action

On March 24, 2015, Marley Åsard Fredriksson, aged 19, was fatally shot in Vårby, south of Stockholm, after being caught in a gang-related shooting targeting a friend connected to criminal groups. Marley died later that night at Karolinska University Hospital, a tragic event that shattered his mother, Maritha Ogilvie. She described the surreal moment of receiving news about Marley’s injury and has since struggled with profound grief and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), two conditions that disabled her from working for several years.

After ten years, no one has been convicted for Marley’s murder, deeply frustrating Maritha and symbolizing the broader challenge Sweden faces with gang violence. Marley was reportedly an unintended victim in a conflict between rival gangs Vårberggänget and Vårbynätverket.

Despite personal pain, Maritha has rebuilt her life and become a vocal advocate for others affected by violent crime, urging society and authorities to recognize the normalization of violence and implement a comprehensive, national response to gang-related violence. She emphasizes that without collective action, further tragedies like her son’s will continue to devastate families across Sweden.

Maritha’s story sheds light on the enduring human cost behind the statistics of gang violence, emphasizing the need for better support systems and prevention strategies. Her call for a national approach aims to ensure no family suffers in silence or without justice.