In the early hours of 14 March 2008, Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen left a London nightclub with coursemate Farouk Abdulhak, the 'playboy' son of a Yemeni billionaire.

Martine, 23, was in Maddox, Mayfair, celebrating the end of exam season, having finished top of her university class. It would be the last time anyone saw her alive.

Two days later, her body was discovered half [undressed], buried under rubble in the basement of Farouk's apartment block. She had been strangled, with 43 cuts and grazes on her body indicating a violent struggle.

Within hours of Martine's disappearance, prime suspect Farouk had already boarded a flight to Cairo, before continuing on to Yemen aboard his father's private jet. 

Fugitive granted Yemeni citizenship while on the run 

His father, business tycoon Shaher Abdulhak, dominated the sugar industry in the Middle Eastern nation.

As Shaher was friends with then president of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh, fugitive Farouk was shockingly granted citizenship to the country while on the run.

Yemen has no extradition treaty with the UK, and police appeals have failed to bring Farouk back to Britain.

Despite the tireless efforts of Martine's father Odd Petter Magnussen, who has spent 18 years petitioning British, Norwegian and Yemeni authorities to force Farouk to answer for his daughter's murder, the case has remained at a standstill. Until now.

How Epstein files revived the murder probe

New life was breathed into the investigation just months ago by an unlikely source: the release of files by the US's Department of Justice relating to the activities of [child predator] financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Daily Mail reporters Martin Robinson and Piriyanga Thirunimalan uncovered email exchanges showing Epstein kept a close relationship with Shaher, and appears to have helped connect him with legal advice for Farouk.

The emails show Epstein put Shaher in touch with Tony Blair's former chief prosecutor, Ken Macdonald, who travelled to Yemen to meet Farouk.

Martine’s father reflects on 20-year search for answers 

Macdonald says he went only to urge Farouk to return to Britain and face justice, and denies discussing the case directly with Epstein, despite emails appearing to reference a phone call between the two.

Following these revelations, Thirunimalan travelled to Norway to talk with Martine's father Petter at the Magnussen family home, to reflect on his near two-decade-long search for answers.

Thirunimalan has now sat down with Crime Desk editor and podcast host Alex Matthews to discuss the investigation. This podcast blends Petter's own words with a thorough deep dive into the case.

On The Case launches tomorrow. Every Thursday, Alex Matthews interviews the Daily Mail's award-winning crime reporters to take you inside their biggest and most chilling investigations. 

Listen to the full podcast here tomorrow