Toulouse: 43-year-old man found dead in Lespinet, inquiry opened for homicide
The body of a 43-year-old man bearing traces of blows was discovered on Sunday in a studio flat in the Lespinet district of Toulouse. An inquiry for homicide is open and three individuals have been taken into custody.
Toulouse: body found lifeless in studio flat, three people in custody
The body of a 43-year-old man was found lifeless in his studio flat in the Lespinet district of Toulouse on Sunday afternoon, according to ladepeche.fr. The victim showed traces of blows to the face and to the rest of the body. The Toulouse public prosecutor's office confirmed the opening of an inquiry for "homicide".
Police were alerted at around 3 p.m. by a witness reporting the presence of individuals who had broken into a ground-floor flat in an apartment building on avenue du Lieutenant Lucien-Lafay. Upon arrival, officers from the BST Sud observed apparent disorder inside the residence, including a broken balcony window. Witnesses claim that this window had been broken by the visitors to gain entry to the studio.
"His face bears traces of blows," confirmed a police officer present at the scene. Traces of violence were also found on the rest of the body. The exact circumstances of death — whether the victim was assaulted inside or outside the flat — remain to be determined.
A forensic pathologist and a representative of the prosecutor's office went to the scene to lead the initial investigation. The forensic science unit carried out a thorough examination of the studio and the balcony. However, the forensic pathologist did not identify any trace of violent blow likely to have directly caused death. An autopsy is planned for the coming days to establish the exact causes of death.
Three individuals spotted near the flat were apprehended and taken into custody. According to a witness, they had been seen entering the apartment; they were arrested outside it. The prosecutor's office is awaiting their interviews to determine the reasons for their presence on the scene — burglary or other motive.
A neighbour living on the floor above described the victim as a discreet man whom she knew by sight. "Hello, goodbye... He tended to listen to a lot of music, often loudly," she said. The residence, frequented by students, families and elderly people, is described by its inhabitants as usually a calm environment.
The victim's identity has not been released. The inquiry is ongoing.
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)