Trigger Warning: contains mention of murder, suicide, sexual assault, rape, and violence.
A retired French police officer confesses his identity as serial killer Le Grêlé in suicide note.
The man’s body was discovered near Montpellier at a seaside resort. Prior to his death, François Verove was called in for questioning concerning the murders he was allegedly responsible for.
According to The Times, the man’s confession is still awaiting verification to confirm his identity as Le Grêlé.
The killer was suspected to be 59 years old, and working for the gendarmerie, Le Parisien reported. He is believed to be responsible for several crimes committed in Paris during the 1980s and 1990s, including at least four murders and six rapes.
Among these crimes was the murder of Cécile Bloch, an 11-year-old girl at the time.
After not showing up for school one day in 1986, Bloch’s parents reported her missing. Bloch was later found under a carpet in the basement of her family’s apartment, with evidence of having been strangled, stabbed, and raped.
Luc Richard, Bloch’s half-brother, guided the police in a sketch of the suspect, a man who had several facial blemishes and scars. Richard had passed the man in a lift, finding his demeanor to be very peculiar. Speaking to Sud Ouest in 2015, Richard described his interaction with the suspect:
He seemed very sure of himself. He spoke to me in a very bold, very polite way, too.
He said something to me like, ‘Have a very, very good day.’
Luc Richard to Sud Ouest
Richard claimed that he would ‘manage to live’ if the killer was never found, but would be unable to shake this ‘great feeling of injustice’.
All these years, the killer has remained elusive. It was not until recently that the case garnered new attention after Bloch’s murder was found connected to six other rapes and two other killings via genetic evidence. These crimes include the murder of 19-year-old Karine Leroy, 21-year-old Irmgard Müller, and 38-year-old Gilles Politi.
Leroy went missing in 1994, her body later discovered in a woodland nearly one month later.
Müller and Politi were both discovered in 1987 at Politi’s family home in Paris. Their wrists were tied and Müller’s throat had been slashed. Local reports at the time described the scene prior to the victims’ death as ‘brutal torture’.
On three different instances of sexual assault, the attacker had reportedly identified himself as a police officer. Though investigators at the time were unsure whether this was merely an intimidation tactic, recent evidence has opened up the possibility that Le Grêlé was indeed a part of the police.
If you or anyone you know is in need of assistance regarding sexual assault, rape, or more, please consult the information below:
United States National Hotlines
Domestic Violence Hotlines
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1 (800) 799-7233
Love is Respect– National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline: 1 (866) 331-9474
StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1 (844) 762-8483
Pathways to Safety International: 1 (833) 723-3833
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender National Hotline: 1 (888) 843-4564
Sexual Assault Hotlines
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1 (800) 656-4673
Department of Defense (DOD) Safe Helpline for Sexual Assault: 1 (877) 995-5247
Human Trafficking Hotlines
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
Children, Youth, and Teenagers
National Runaway Safeline: 1 (800) 786-2929
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): 1 (800) 843-5678
ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1 (800) 422-4453
Boystown USA– Your Life Your Voice Helpline: 1 (800) 448-3000
Mental Health Hotlines
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline: 1 (800) 950-6264
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline: 1 (800) 662- 4357
