Detectives are set to review cold cases as part of a renewed investigation into the notorious ‘Monster of Avignon’. Dominique Pelicot, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2024 for aggravated rape, will be the central focus of the inquiry by a cold case unit looking into additional crimes spanning several decades. The prosecutors’ office near Paris disclosed that the aim of the investigation is to identify potential new victims.
The trial of Pelicot garnered worldwide attention as it was revealed that he had drugged his wife, Gisele, and orchestrated assaults by numerous individuals while she was unconscious, causing shockwaves across France. Gisele Pelicot, who bravely chose to go public with her story, has emerged as a prominent advocate for female survivors of sexual abuse in the country, emphasizing solidarity in the struggle against such atrocities.
The heinous acts against Gisele occurred between 2011 and 2020 in their residence in Mazan, involving 72 different men, some of whom were acquaintances. Out of the 51 men who stood trial, all but one were convicted of various sexual offenses against Gisele.
Apart from his conviction, Dominique Pelicot is being investigated for two other serious crimes – the rape and murder of Sophie Narme, a real estate agent in Paris in 1991, and an attempted rape in Villeparisis in 1999. The investigations into these cases have been ongoing since October 2022, with authorities citing substantial evidence against Pelicot.
While Pelicot has partially confessed to the 1999 incident following the discovery of his DNA at the scene, he vehemently denies any involvement in the 1991 rape and murder. Investigators have noted significant parallels in the modus operandi of the two assaults.
Attorney Florence Rault, representing both Narme’s family and the 1999 victim, highlighted striking resemblances between the two cases, suggesting a potential link between them. Pelicot’s lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro, stated that Pelicot denied ever meeting Sophie Narme and clarified his actions in the 1999 case, claiming his intentions were different from attempted rape.
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