Murder of Camille Paul in Saint-François: Pascal V. tried at Basse-Terre assize court
Pascal V., 45, has been appearing since 12 November before the Basse-Terre assize court for the rape and murder of Camille Paul, found dead on a Guadeloupe beach in July 2024.
Pascal V. at assize court for the murder of Camille Paul, found dead on La Coulée beach
On 21 July 2024, at around 7 in the morning, La Coulée beach in Saint-François is still deserted when a body is discovered at the water's edge. A young woman lies there, her head in the sand, lifeless. According to la1ere.franceinfo.fr, which has followed the case from the earliest moments, it is this matter that the Basse-Terre assize court has been examining since Thursday 12 November.
From drowning to crime
Firefighters and gendarmes from the Saint-François brigade are quickly dispatched to the scene. The hypothesis of accidental drowning is initially considered, but the initial findings quickly refute it: the victim presents a wound to the back of the skull. The beach becomes a crime scene. The Investigation Section (SR) and the Criminal Identification Unit (CIC) take charge of the initial investigations. Investigators find at the scene a pair of sandals, a mobile telephone and traces of blood.
The following day, Alexandra Onfray, deputy prosecutor of Pointe-à-Pitre, states that "priority is given to the investigation which looks set to be difficult". The identity of the victim is known to the authorities, but the prosecution has not yet disclosed it.
Camille Paul, 30, who came to work the season
The autopsy, carried out on 23 July, confirms the criminal lead. The victim received a violent blow to the back of the skull, inflicted with a heavy object — likely a piece of wood — causing a fracture. Injuries to her forearms indicate that she attempted to defend herself. The post-mortem examination also establishes that she was raped. Unconscious, she died by drowning at the water's edge.
The victim's name was Camille Paul. Originally from Strasbourg, she was 30 years old. After studying psychology, she had worked in several catering establishments. In early July 2024, following a tourist stay, she had come to Guadeloupe with the intention of working the season there. She had posted an announcement on social media for a barmaid position between Le Gosier, Sainte-Anne and Saint-François, had secured employment and found accommodation. Her arrival on the island had been less than three weeks prior.
Her death provoked strong emotion beyond Guadeloupe. The feminist collective Nous Toutes included her in its count of feminicides in 2024, where she features as the 79th case recorded.
Arrest and committal for trial
The investigations progressed rapidly. From 23 July, the elements gathered — notably thanks to the telephone found on the beach — led the gendarmes to a resident of Saint-François, then aged 43, unemployed and already convicted of acts of violence.
Pascal V. is arrested and placed in custody. On 25 July, he is brought before the Pointe-à-Pitre prosecution, committed for trial for murder concomitant with rape and remanded in custody. He is now 45 years old.
An accused who denies the murder and rape
More than two years after the events, the proceedings focus on post-mortem findings, biological traces, telephone data and statements obtained during the investigation. The court and jurors must set these elements against the accused's version.
During the investigation, Pascal V. admitted to a quarrel with Camille Paul but has always denied the murder and the rape. He reportedly stated that he could remember nothing, except for the presence of another man on the beach. He reportedly gave this individual's identity to the investigators, but that person was not implicated in the proceedings.
The jurors must in particular rule on the classification as murder: is the intention to kill established? The personality of the accused, his criminal record and the psychological expert assessments submitted in the case will also be examined. Pascal V. is presumed innocent. He faces life imprisonment.
Camille Paul's loved ones awaiting answers
In Strasbourg, the death of Camille Paul had prompted strong mobilisation. A fundraiser had been launched, and tributes had been paid to her by her family and friends. Her loved ones, constituted as civil parties, are represented by a lawyer from the Strasbourg bar.
These two days of hearing should allow them to hear the account of the investigation, the explanations of the accused and the conclusions of the experts. The verdict is expected this Friday 13 November, following the proceedings.
Source: Google News GP — Crime