French couple killed in Portugal: their property caretaker implicated
Jean-Marie Grenier, 79, and his wife Milena, 62, were found dead in a cistern near Lagos. Their Brazilian caretaker is the main suspect.
Two French people murdered at their property in southern Portugal
Jean-Marie Grenier, 79, and his wife Milena, 62, were found dead in a cistern on their property near Lagos in southern Portugal. According to France Info, the two victims had been struck by a blunt object before their bodies were concealed in this water tank.
Local police indicate that the suspect deliberately attempted to accelerate the decomposition of the bodies: "The suspect dragged the victims into a water cistern on the property, with the aim of concealing the bodies, even going so far as to attempt to decompose them with chemical products."
Thirty years of life in Portugal, a brutal end
The couple had been living in this southern Portuguese region for three decades. Their death has left those around them in shock. Frédéric Grenier, the victim's nephew, describes a kind-hearted man with whom he was still exchanging words just days before the tragedy: "My uncle was an extremely kind and extremely benevolent person. The act is incomprehensible, the barbarity is incomprehensible. We are all deeply shocked by what happened. It is total incomprehension. It is a real nightmare."
The caretaker, employed for seven years, held in custody
The main suspect is Natalino C., a 45-year-old Brazilian national employed as caretaker of the property for seven years. According to information reported by France Info, he allegedly confessed his actions to an acquaintance, who immediately reported him to the authorities.
At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a substantial sum of money as well as valuable items belonging to the victims. He has since been held in custody and is due to be questioned shortly by Portuguese justice.
A wary neighbourhood
Neighbours of the couple, spoken to at the scene of the tragedy, testified to long-standing suspicion regarding the suspect. One of them explains that the caretaker had been hired following a burglary three years earlier: "He looked after the land, the house. He lived there because the couple had been burgled three years ago. He was a dangerous person."
The exact circumstances of the motive remain to be established. The investigation is in the hands of Portuguese authorities.
Source: France Info