Murder of Sonia Bellina in Saint-Gilles: one suspect released, other remains in custody
One of two men arrested after the discovery of the burnt body of the influencer has been released for lack of sufficient evidence. The second suspect, known to justice, remains under interrogation until Friday.
Burnt body of the influencer: one suspect released, investigation continues in Nîmes
According to Google News FR — Crime (fr), one of two detention periods opened as part of the investigation into the death of Sonia Bellina was lifted on Thursday 20 August. The first man in question has been released: "The investigation elements did not allow, at this stage, to establish his participation in the course of events," stated the public prosecutor of Nîmes in a statement.
The second suspect remains in custody after an extension granted late in the morning. This man, who knew the victim and is already known unfavourably to justice, can now be held until Friday midday. "The next information elements will be delivered at the end of this last one, namely Friday 21 August 2026," the prosecutor's office specified.
The two men, both in their thirties and living in the Nîmes urban area, were arrested on Wednesday. They are implicated in the case of the partially burnt body found on 12 August between rows of vines in Saint-Gilles, in the Gard. It was an agricultural worker who made the grim discovery in the early morning.
The victim, Sonia Bellina, had been missing since the evening of 11 August. Originally from the Gard, the young woman was widely followed on social media, with close to 260,000 followers on TikTok. The mystery remains complete regarding the circumstances of her death pending the conclusions of the ongoing investigation.
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)