Death of a nonagenarian in Loire: a man in his forties with prior convictions placed in police custody
Investigators arrested a 40-year-old man in Le Coteau, suspected of killing Françoise Galichet, 90, with a blade. Identification was made possible through DNA analysis.
Death of a nonagenarian in Loire: a man in his forties with prior convictions placed in police custody
Investigators in Loire have apprehended a 40-year-old man in Le Coteau, suspected of being responsible for the death of a 90-year-old resident found lifeless at the end of May in her home. This information is reported by the newspaper Le Figaro.
Françoise Galichet was discovered on 30 May around noon by members of her family, who were concerned about her silence. The woman lay in her ground-floor apartment, presenting a visible wound on her left cheek as well as blood marks. Curiously, no signs of forced entry were noted on the door or windows.
The post-mortem examination carried out in early June revealed multiple injuries to the neck, consistent with blows inflicted by a blade. The case, initially treated as an investigation into the causes of death, saw its legal framework evolve towards a qualification of intentional homicide. Police from the DIPN then multiplied samples taken from the apartment, particularly in the bathroom where the attacker may have washed.
On 15 June, the return of laboratory results changed matters: a biological trace found in the bathroom matched the DNA of an individual residing in the municipality since the beginning of the year. This man, already registered in the criminal record for offences including theft, drug use and violence against a partner, was apprehended at his home the following day.
During his police custody, the suspect rejected all accusations and denied ever entering the victim's home. He also failed to explain the presence of his genetic material in the deceased's residence. For the time being, investigators have established no prior relationship between the two individuals.
The Roanne prosecutor's office transferred the case to that of Saint-Étienne, which has jurisdiction over murders, in order to open a judicial inquiry. The defendant was to be brought before an investigating magistrate on 18 June. The mayor of Le Coteau publicly thanked the investigation services and offered her condolences to the relatives of the deceased.
Source: Google News LU — Crime (fr)