Norwegian police say they now believe that the wife of one of Norway's richest men who allegedly was abducted eight months ago has been killed and they "cannot exclude a staged kidnapping to hide it."

Chief police investigator Tommy Broeske says "it is less likely that we are facing abduction with an economic motive." Broeske declined Wednesday to say whether anyone has been arrested.

Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, who was last seen alive on Oct. 31, is the wife of Tom Hagen a media-shy real estate investor and owner of an electric company.

A note was found in their house describing what would happen to her if a ransom wasn't paid. Norwegian media have said the ransom was 9 million euros ($10.2 million), to be paid in cryptocurrency.

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