Chevaline killings: Luger pistol recovered from Lake Annecy bottom, 14 years on
A Luger-type pistol discovered in Lake Annecy by British tourists could reopen the investigation into the 2012 quadruple murder at Chevaline, an unsolved case.
A Luger at the bottom of the lake, facing the Al-Hilli family's campsite
A Luger-type pistol, recovered at a depth of two metres in Lake Annecy on 20 August, could constitute a new lead in the quadruple murder case at Chevaline — a file unsolved since 2012. According to France Info, the weapon was discovered by British tourists whilst they were swimming, precisely opposite the campsite where the Al-Hilli family were staying at the time of the incident.
The weapon corresponds to the type of pistol used during the shooting: a Luger dating from the Second World War. It must now be subjected to expert analysis to determine whether it is compatible with the 18 cartridge cases found at the crime scene. These analyses are currently underway at the gendarmerie's scientific laboratory.
Investigators and experts call for caution
After a long period in water, the Luger is severely degraded, which complicates its identification. The investigators are exercising caution regarding the conclusions to be drawn. Jean-Charles Antoine-Noirel, former gendarmerie officer and specialist in weapons trafficking, emphasises the difficulty of tracing such a supply chain: "This weapon could have circulated for several decades and been stored with a grandfather or a property owner or in a club, and then been stolen, sold illegally or given away. And that is where we see the entire complexity of tracing the supply chain."
Me William Bourdon, lawyer for the British Al-Hilli family, expresses the impatience of their relatives whilst calling for restraint: "They are obviously very impatient. We have to frustrate them and tell them: 'Don't rush into a kind of premature enthusiasm.' So, what they see is that French justice is equal to the challenge."
Recap of the facts: 5 September 2012
On 5 September 2012, Saad al-Hilli, a British national of Iraqi origin, his wife and his mother-in-law were found dead in their vehicle on the car park of a small mountain road overlooking Lake Annecy. The three family members were killed by multiple shots to the head. At the foot of the vehicle, a French cyclist had also been shot dead. No suspect has ever been charged in this case.
Fourteen years after the incident, the discovery of this weapon at the bottom of the lake — facing the family's campsite — reopens questions. Only the ballistic experts' analysis currently underway will establish whether this Luger is the one used during the shooting.
Source: France Info