At 5.30pm that day, Gregory's uncle Michel received an anonymous phone call saying that Gregory had been kidnapped and dumped in the Vologne River. Christine Villemin arrives at prison in Dijon. The web of suspicion, anger and subsequent recriminations mean that this story has a lot to untangle in five episodes. Grgory Villemin was found dead in October 1984, Christine and Jean-Marie Villemin, parents of Gregory Villemin, who was murdered at four-years-old, The Vologne river in Docelles, eastern France in which Gregory was found tied up and drowned in October 1984, You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. In 1984, 4-year-old Grgory Villemin was playing on a pile of sand in the front garden of his parents home in Vosges a mountainous area in eastern France, near its border with Germany. In June 2017, Gregorys great-aunt and great-uncle, Jacqueline and Marcel Jacob, were arrested and charged with his kidnapping. Here is what you need to know about the case that has gripped France for three decades, with a number of twists and turns and further murders to complicate the investigation. Most Pilot-y Line: I never stopped thinking about it, Etienne Sesmat the police inspector who investigated the case at the time notes, recounting a small detail from the case that still haunts him decades later. The next day, Jean-Marie and Christine received an anonymous letter that claimed responsibility for the murder, which it said was motivated by revenge. Police opened an investigation into the former judge's death at his home in Le Mans, Grgory Villemin was found drowned in a river a few kilometres from his home, Jean-Michel Lambert later conceded he had not given the murder case his full attention, Christine Villemin (third from left) was for years wrongly blamed for the murder, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. The boy's great-uncle Marcel Jacob and his wife Jacqueline were placed under formal investigation for kidnapping resulting in death. It will take eight years for Villemin to be cleared of all wrongdoing. Grgory Villemins tragic end was destined previously as from September 1981 to October 1984, Grgorys parents, Jean-Marie and Christine Villemin, and Jean-Maries parents, Albert and Monique Villemin, received numerous anonymous letters and phone calls from a man threatening revenge against Jean-Marie for some unknown offence. Browse 698 gregory villemin stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Read about our approach to external linking. Meanwhile, the police turned their focus to Gregory's mother, Christine, who was then heavily pregnant. Though its little-known here, its been thoroughly dissected in the French media over the years, with no killer ever being identified. In 2004, Christine and Jean-Marie Villemin were awarded compensation of 35,000 (32,000) each for the multiple shortcomings of an entirely failed investigation that had denied them the chance of knowing the circumstances of their sons death and caused them personal harm. Sarah had made Google searches before the crash, inquiring about Benadryl and drowning. The pregnant woman collapsed after questioning and was taken to hospital, reportedly losing one of the twins she was carrying. Ever since, he and Christine had been plagued by anonymous phone calls, from a person clearly familiar with details of their lives that only a relative could know. Picture: AFP FRENCH police investigating the 1984 killing of a four-year-old boy arrested three of his relatives on Wednesday, raising hopes of a breakthrough in one of the country's most high-profile unsolved murder cases. In contemporaneous and current-day interviews with investigators, reporters, doctors, and people familiar with the Villemin family, we learn about the pattern of harassment that led up to the tragic death by drowning of little Gregory at the hands of the mysterious person known as The Raven. You can see that no one has let this go and its understandable why: the case is as sensational as it is tragic. A former judge who played a leading part in one of France's biggest murder inquiries has been found dead at home with a plastic bag over his head. The whole Jacob family had a longstanding hatred for the Villemin clan which their sister/aunt had married into. Christine and Jean-Marie Villemin, centre and right, attend a court hearing following the murder of their four-year-old son. 'Mandalorian' Funko Pops up to 77% Off Baby Yoda and More for Season 3, Who Plays the Armorer in 'The Mandalorian'? His mother said she was inside, ironing and listening to the radio. France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlines. Local reporters covering the case pointed out that none of those held on Wednesday was suspected of the boy's murder. Gregory Villemin found dead in the Vologne river on October 1984. An aunt notes that Laroche is scared, and Kerr forebodingly adds, These are strong words, they are scared. "This is my vengeance, a--hole.". Your money will not bring your son back. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Nelson's 97th-minute stunner gives Arsenal victory, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78. An half-hour later, an unknown man called little Grgory's uncle and bragged about kidnapping the boy and drowning him in the Vologne river. One of the anonymous threatening letters sent to Jean-Marie Villemin. Many remain sceptical. Who Killed Little Gregory?, which dropped on November 20, delves deep into the unsolved murder of four-year-old Gregory Villemin. A French court is looking at new DNA evidence in the notorious murder of four-year-old Gregory Villemin, whose death has transfixed France for 36 years. A few hours later, while the. His murder became a tale of family rivalries, poison-pen letters and false leads, and his killer has never been found. He was not there. The inquiry was reopened briefly in 2000 to allow for DNA testing of a stamp on a hate letter sent to the Villemins months before the murder. Several people testified her being at the post office that very same day, suggesting she could very well be the person behind the letters. On his gravestone, his family wrote: "Here rests Bernard Laroche, an innocent victim of blind hatred.". He turned himself in immediately, and would not be released from jail until late 1987. Further testing was done in 2008 on the rope, letters, and other evidence, but also proved inconclusive. COPYRIGHT UNSOLVED MYSTERIES & PARANORMAL ACTIVITIES, 2017-2018. But perhaps the most interesting development in the case came just two years ago. On October 16, 1984, Jean-Marie and wife Christine reported the disappearance of their young son Gregory to police at 5pm. The local reports stated that Grgorys father Jean-Marie Villemin was an arrogant person and liked to brag about his wealth, and that had caused a falling out with his cousin Bernard Laroche. Join the newsletter to get updates monthly straight to your email, and win one of 10 free books. grunge.com - Jennifer Deutschmann 13h. In June 2019, she was indicted for aggravated defamation after Faivre lodged a complaint with police. The murder of the four-year-old Gregory Villemin in October 1984 is one such example. Who Killed Little Gregory? There is no material proof, nothing, said one, Stephane Giuranna. The investigations and analyses show that several people cooperated together in the commission of this crime.. Bernard would also often visit his family and friends to talk trash about Jean-Marie, probably influencing them to hate him too. Investigators express consternation over the familys lack of cooperation, and speculation swirls about the identity of the killer and their connection to the family or the familys own possible guilt. Investigator Paul Holes Became a Sex Symbol After Helping Solve the Golden State Killer Case, Prosecutor Sunny Hostin's New True Crime Show Is Inspired by Her Traumatic Childhood. On 17 October 1984, the Villemin family received an anonymous letter that said: I have taken vengeance. The Unsolved Murder of Grgory Villemin: The Tragedy That Still Haunts France The body of a 4-year-old French boy was found in the river, with feet and hands bound An unknown man took the responsibility for the killing and taunted the parents with letters and phone calls for four agonizing years Murielle admitted this in front of the police only weeks after the actual crime but withdrew her statement a couple of days later. Theyve been promising a decisive new development for more than 30 years now, said the Laroche familys lawyer, Grard Welzer. The same night, his body was found 2.5 miles away in the Vologne River near Docelles. From the beginning, suspicion fell on the family of the boys father, 26, whose parents, brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins all lived nearby. Many remain sceptical. Your email address will not be published. El asesinato del pequeo Grgory Villemin, ocurrido hace 32 aos, es uno de los mayores enigmas policiales de la historia moderna de Francia. Its an exhaustive documentary series in the spirit of the best true-crime works, and a crime on the level of those that are immediately familiar by name to anyone here Adam Walsh, Etan Patz, Jon-Benet Ramsey. Murder. Hours before the . She was freed after an appeals court cited flimsy evidence and the absence of a coherent motive. The French public hopes that advances in genetic science could help identify the killer and give some closure to the family of Grgory. A few days later, the local gendarmes, soldiers who work as police in small rural areas in French towns, found a hypodermic syringe and empty vial of insulin box near the riverbank. France 24 is not responsible for the content of external websites. What We Know About Her Continued 'Today Show' Absence, 'Wheel of Fortune' Gets Awkward as Pat Sajak Snaps at Contestant for Grabbing Wheel: "Don't Touch That", 'Jeopardy!' is available now on Netflix. She tells police Laroche collected her from school before picking up a "little boy she had never seen before" and dropping him off at another location. Four year-old Grgory Villemin , who was murdered near Docelles in the French department of Vosges on 16th October 1984. The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore. Between hospital visits to his wife, Jean-Marie visited Laroche at his home and shot him to death, going on to be sentenced to five years in prison for the crime, but was released after two and a half years. 2023 BBC. 1,701, This story has been shared 1,282 times. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. More than 3,000 newspaper articles, 50 academic theses and 15 books have been devoted to the mystery, plus countless documentaries and a six-part TV series. Christine jumped into her car and drove increasingly frantically around the small village of Lpanges-sur-Vologne, in Frances eastern Vosges region. The following day, the victim's father receives another letter: "I hope you die of sorrow, boss. There is no material proof, nothing, said one, Stephane Giuranna. 3,408, This story has been shared 3,218 times. Two days later, however, Bolle retracted her story. There's my revenge.". By 1987 Judge Lambert had been replaced by another judge, Maurice Simon, whose devastating criticism of his predecessor's work emerged on Wednesday. Muriel Bolle was also arrested and she was held for 36 days before being released, as were the others who had been detained. Its quite obvious that the killer must have been some jealous member of the family and the new investigations have put forth the new suspects every time from his family, but still, the whole story remains a riddle. Christine Villemin was cleared of the charges on 2 February 1993. A French court is looking at new DNA evidence in the notorious murder of four-year-old Gregory Villemin, whose death has transfixed France for 36 years. Grgory was kidnapped from his parents home and held for a certain time before his death, the prosecutor in Dijon, Jean-Jacques Bosc, said as he announced the charges. poison-pen letters and false leads, and his killer has . Nobody had ever been convicted of the killing. Three locals swore they had seen Grgorys mother at the post office on the day before his death, when the revenge letter had been posted; graphologists argued there was an 80% chance she was the letters author; string identical to that used to tie the boys hands and legs was found in the chalets cellar. She maintained her innocence, and was officially cleared by police six years later. Your money will not bring your son back. She has rejected investigators firm belief and the testimony of a cousin that she was bullied by the family into retracting her 1984 statement incriminating her brother-in-law. There are a number of mysterious aspects to the case, including calls and letters received by Gregory's parents prior to his murder. 2,299, This story has been shared 2,248 times. Citing sources close to the case, French media have said detectives believe a clan around the original suspect, Bernard Laroche, were behind the killing: the Jacobs were his aunt and uncle, Bolle was his sister-in-law. Something went wrong, please try again later. Potentially vital evidence would later be thrown out. Many directly threatened the boss Jean Marie was in charge of 20 men and his family. In her book, Bolle accused Faivre of lying about the reason why she recanted her initial statement. She had given their four-year-old son, Grgory, a woollen hat to wear so he could play on the mound of builders sand still beside the house, but it was time for him to come in. 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