Murder of Loana in Sedan: defendant admits to facts for first time at assizes
The trial of Jean-Baptiste M., tried for the rape and murder of Loana, 10 years old, opened on Monday at the Ardennes assizes. The defendant admitted to all the facts.
Trial at Ardennes assizes: Jean-Baptiste M. admits to rape and murder of Loana
The trial of Jean-Baptiste M. opened on Monday before the Ardennes court of assizes, according to france3-regions.franceinfo.fr. The man is accused of having raped and killed Loana, a ten-year-old girl, whose body was found dead in a building in Sedan in October 2023. For the first time since the start of the case, the defendant admitted to all the facts with which he is charged.
The hearing, scheduled for three days, began with the drawing of lots for jurors, before the presiding judge outlined the course of the investigation. Loana's disappearance dates back to the evening of 17 October 2023, when the girl was returning from school. Her parents, worried, quickly reported her missing. The next day, an appeal for witnesses enabled rapid progress: a neighbour had seen the child enter a disused bar in central Sedan.
It was in the cellar of this establishment that the girl's body was discovered a few hours later. Two days after the discovery, at a press conference, the prosecutor of Reims François Schneider confirmed that, "without going into the sordid details, the victim was struck repeatedly in the face — the blows led to death — and she was raped."
Following the statement of facts, the presiding judge questioned Jean-Baptiste M. about his admission to the acts. The defendant answered laconically: "Yes." This is a first: during the investigation, he had admitted to the sexual assault, but had always denied the murder. Loana's family now awaits fuller admissions during the next days of hearing.
"I want him to acknowledge the truth, but in his own voice, rather than simply answering questions," declared Peggy Creton, Loana's aunt. "I want him to receive the maximum sentence, so that he never leaves prison again."
The rest of Monday's hearing was devoted to examining the defendant's character. Jean-Baptiste M., aged 60, comes from the travelling community. He suffers from alcoholism and cannot read or write. The second day of hearing should clarify many unclear points, the defendant to be heard at length by the court on the substance of the case. Jean-Baptiste M. faces life imprisonment.
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)