Michel Fourniret
Encyclopedia
Michel Fourniret is a convicted French serial killer
who confessed, in June and July 2004, to kidnapping
, raping
and murdering 9 girls in a span of 14 years during the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s. He was also accused of 10 additional murders, nine in France and one in Belgium, and was found guilty of seven of these charges. The trials started on 27 March 2008, and ended on 28 May. He is sometimes referred to as the "Ogre/Beast of Ardennes".
Fourniret was arrested after a failed attempt to kidnap a Belgian girl in June 2003. His wife, Monique Olivier exposed him after hearing the news of another child murderer's wife (Michelle Martin, wife of Marc Dutroux
) being convicted. Fourniret has been charged with the abduction
of minors and sex
ual misconduct, and has been in detention since June 2003 for the attempted kidnapping
of a 14-year-old girl in 2000. Olivier has been charged with one murder and for helping him with a further six.
Fourniret buried at least two of his victims at his Sautou chateau near Donchery
in the French Ardennes in the late 1980s. On 3 July 2004, a team of French and Belgian police recovered the bodies of two of Fourniret's victims near the castle. Fourniret was sentenced to life in prison.
Fourniret's wife has also said that Fourniret killed a 16-year-old girl who had worked as an au pair
at their house. Fourniret allegedly killed her in 1993, but this has not been confirmed. The identity of this alleged victim is not known.
In 2006 rumors circulated that Fourniret might have been the real murderer of eight-year-old Marie-Dolores Rambla. Christian Ranucci
had been convicted of the crime, and beheaded on 28 July 1976. The case has always been controversial.
New evidence showed that Fourniret was taking a holiday in Marseille
at the same time and place Rambla was murdered. On 3 June 1974, Rambla and her brother Jean met a man in a car who claimed he was searching for his dog. Marie-Dolores joined the man in his car and was kidnapped. Over an hour after her disappearance, the car of the kidnapper was involved in a car accident with a person named Martinez but the kidnapper drove away. Followed by an elderly couple, he was seen carrying a big package. The police suspected there was a connection between the kidnapping and the fleeing driver. Following an extensive search, the body of Marie-Dolores Rambla, stabbed to death, was found in some bushes. Ranucci was arrested since he was in a car accident that day and was carrying a large package. In Ranucci's car, the police discovered a pair of pants with dried blood of the same blood type as Rambla.
Ranucci confessed to killing the girl and told the police where the knife was hidden (the bushes). But Ranucci only confessed to things discovered by the police in the first 48 hours. A day after, Ranucci denied being the murderer. It has been suggested that Ranucci's file was altered and certain pieces of evidence were hidden to match his "confession". For example, the bloodstains on his pants were much older than the day of the murder, and could be explained due to a fall from his motorcycle. Ranucci had the same blood type as Rambla. The elderly couple claimed they saw the girl in the back of Ranucci's car and heard her screaming. But the couple did not leave their car and Ranucci's car door was broken on the side they claimed he had opened to snatch the girl out of the car. Further investigation showed that a red sweater found at the scene of the crime did not belong to Ranucci, as previously thought.
Later, five people told the police they saw the kidnapping but none of them identified Ranucci as the perpetrator.
Several facts point to Fourniret's possible involvement in the crime. He was on vacation in Marseille in June 1974, drove a car of the same color (grey), was 32 years old and, unlike Ranucci, had a record of sex offenses. Fourniret used many tricks, similar to the lie about the lost dog. Also, Rambla showed no signs of being sexually molested
. Fourniret often ejaculated
in front of his victims instead of sexually assaulting
them.
He was named as a suspect in connection with the murder of 21-year-old Englishwoman
Joanna Parrish, whose body was found in an Auxerre
river on 17 May 1990. She had been raped and strangled. However, he has never been charged with her murder and 20 years on the murder remains unsolved.
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who confessed, in June and July 2004, to kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, raping
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and murdering 9 girls in a span of 14 years during the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s. He was also accused of 10 additional murders, nine in France and one in Belgium, and was found guilty of seven of these charges. The trials started on 27 March 2008, and ended on 28 May. He is sometimes referred to as the "Ogre/Beast of Ardennes".
Fourniret was arrested after a failed attempt to kidnap a Belgian girl in June 2003. His wife, Monique Olivier exposed him after hearing the news of another child murderer's wife (Michelle Martin, wife of Marc Dutroux
Marc Dutroux
Marc Dutroux is a Belgian serial killer and child molester, convicted of having kidnapped, tortured and sexually abused six girls during 1995 and 1996, ranging in age from 8 to 19, four of whom he murdered. He was also convicted of having killed a suspected former accomplice, Bernard Weinstein,...
) being convicted. Fourniret has been charged with the abduction
Child abduction
Child abduction or Child theft is the unauthorized removal of a minor from the custody of the child's natural or legally appointed guardians....
of minors and sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
ual misconduct, and has been in detention since June 2003 for the attempted kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
of a 14-year-old girl in 2000. Olivier has been charged with one murder and for helping him with a further six.
Fourniret buried at least two of his victims at his Sautou chateau near Donchery
Donchery
Donchery is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-Population:...
in the French Ardennes in the late 1980s. On 3 July 2004, a team of French and Belgian police recovered the bodies of two of Fourniret's victims near the castle. Fourniret was sentenced to life in prison.
Confessed murders
- Isabelle Laville – a 17-year-old French girl. She disappeared in AuxerreAuxerreAuxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000...
, on 11 December 1987 on her way home from school. Her skeletal remains were located at the bottom of a well in the country north of Auxerre in July 2006. - Farida Hellegouarch – the girlfriend of one of the members of the Gang des postichesGang des postichesThe Gang des postiches was a famous team of bank robbers that operated in Paris between 1981 and 1986. With a rare boldness, they attacked about thirty banks....
(a gang of bank robbers), a former cellmate of Fourniret's. Fourniret killed her in 1988 to access the group's funds. He bought his castle in France with the money. - Fabienne Leroy – a 20-year-old woman. She disappeared in 1988 in MourmelonMourmelonMourmelon - name a commune, both in the Marne department in north-eastern France.* Mourmelon-le-Grand* Mourmelon-le-Petit...
, and her body was later found in the nearby woods.Killed by a shot to the heart after attempted to inject air in her veins. - Jeanne-Marie Desramault – a 22-year-old French student. She disappeared in 1989 from the railway station of Charleville-MézièresCharleville-MézièresCharleville-Mézières is a commune in northern France, capital of the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River.-History:...
, and her body was recovered from the estate of Fourniret with his assistance. - Elisabeth Brichet – a 12-year-old Belgian girl. She disappeared from NamurNamur (city)Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
in 1989 after playing with a friend. Her disappearance was long thought to be at the hands of Marc DutrouxMarc DutrouxMarc Dutroux is a Belgian serial killer and child molester, convicted of having kidnapped, tortured and sexually abused six girls during 1995 and 1996, ranging in age from 8 to 19, four of whom he murdered. He was also convicted of having killed a suspected former accomplice, Bernard Weinstein,...
, until Fourniret led police to her burial site on his estate in France. - Natacha Danais – a 13-year-old French girl, disappeared November 1990 in Nantes, western France whilst out shopping with her mother. Her body was found a few days later on a local beach.
- Céline Saison – 18-year-old who disappeared in 2000 in Charleville-MézièresCharleville-MézièresCharleville-Mézières is a commune in northern France, capital of the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River.-History:...
. Her body was found in Belgium. - Mananya Thumpong – 13-year-old who disappeared in 2001 from Sedan. Her body was also later found in Belgium.
Fourniret's wife has also said that Fourniret killed a 16-year-old girl who had worked as an au pair
Au pair
An au pair is a domestic assistant from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family. Typically, au pairs take on a share of the family's responsibility for childcare as well as some housework, and receive a small monetary allowance for personal use...
at their house. Fourniret allegedly killed her in 1993, but this has not been confirmed. The identity of this alleged victim is not known.
Other crimes?
Fourniret himself says he did not commit any crimes between 1990 and 2000, however police in at least five countries (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark) have taken a fresh look at old rapes, disappearances and murders during that time period. In Denmark, police noticed that a police sketch of a rape suspect looked a lot like Fourniret, but a DNA-test showed no comparison. In the Netherlands, investigators in the disappearances of Tanja Groen and Nicky Verstappen have investigated Fourniret.In 2006 rumors circulated that Fourniret might have been the real murderer of eight-year-old Marie-Dolores Rambla. Christian Ranucci
Christian Ranucci
Christian Ranucci was one of the last people executed in France, having been convicted of the abduction and murder of a young girl, Marie-Dolorès Rambla....
had been convicted of the crime, and beheaded on 28 July 1976. The case has always been controversial.
New evidence showed that Fourniret was taking a holiday in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
at the same time and place Rambla was murdered. On 3 June 1974, Rambla and her brother Jean met a man in a car who claimed he was searching for his dog. Marie-Dolores joined the man in his car and was kidnapped. Over an hour after her disappearance, the car of the kidnapper was involved in a car accident with a person named Martinez but the kidnapper drove away. Followed by an elderly couple, he was seen carrying a big package. The police suspected there was a connection between the kidnapping and the fleeing driver. Following an extensive search, the body of Marie-Dolores Rambla, stabbed to death, was found in some bushes. Ranucci was arrested since he was in a car accident that day and was carrying a large package. In Ranucci's car, the police discovered a pair of pants with dried blood of the same blood type as Rambla.
Ranucci confessed to killing the girl and told the police where the knife was hidden (the bushes). But Ranucci only confessed to things discovered by the police in the first 48 hours. A day after, Ranucci denied being the murderer. It has been suggested that Ranucci's file was altered and certain pieces of evidence were hidden to match his "confession". For example, the bloodstains on his pants were much older than the day of the murder, and could be explained due to a fall from his motorcycle. Ranucci had the same blood type as Rambla. The elderly couple claimed they saw the girl in the back of Ranucci's car and heard her screaming. But the couple did not leave their car and Ranucci's car door was broken on the side they claimed he had opened to snatch the girl out of the car. Further investigation showed that a red sweater found at the scene of the crime did not belong to Ranucci, as previously thought.
Later, five people told the police they saw the kidnapping but none of them identified Ranucci as the perpetrator.
Several facts point to Fourniret's possible involvement in the crime. He was on vacation in Marseille in June 1974, drove a car of the same color (grey), was 32 years old and, unlike Ranucci, had a record of sex offenses. Fourniret used many tricks, similar to the lie about the lost dog. Also, Rambla showed no signs of being sexually molested
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
. Fourniret often ejaculated
Orgasm
Orgasm is the peak of the plateau phase of the sexual response cycle, characterized by an intense sensation of pleasure...
in front of his victims instead of sexually assaulting
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
them.
He was named as a suspect in connection with the murder of 21-year-old Englishwoman
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Joanna Parrish, whose body was found in an Auxerre
Auxerre
Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000...
river on 17 May 1990. She had been raped and strangled. However, he has never been charged with her murder and 20 years on the murder remains unsolved.