Detectives are set to reexamine unresolved cases as part of a renewed inquiry into the notorious ‘Monster of Avignon’. Dominique Pelicot, who received a 20-year prison sentence in 2024 for aggravated rape, will be the primary focus of an expanded investigation by a cold case unit looking into additional offenses dating back several decades. The Nanterre prosecutors’ office, located near Paris, revealed this development.
The trial of Pelicot caused a sensation in France and garnered global attention, as it was revealed that he had drugged his wife, Gisele, and orchestrated assaults on her by numerous strangers while she was unconscious. Gisele Pelicot, who chose to go public with her identity to raise awareness, has since become a prominent advocate for female survivors of sexual abuse in the country, emphasizing the importance of solidarity in their fight.
The assaults against Gisele occurred between 2011 and 2020 at their residence in the town of Mazan, involving 72 different men, some of whom were acquaintances. Out of the 51 men who stood trial, nearly all were found guilty of various sexual offenses against Gisèle.
In addition to the ongoing investigation related to the assaults on Gisele, Dominique Pelicot is also being looked into for two other crimes – the rape and murder of Sophie Narme, a real estate agent in Paris in 1991, and an attempted rape in Villeparisis in 1999. He has been formally under investigation for these offenses since October 2022, indicating substantial evidence against him.
While Pelicot has admitted partial involvement in the 1999 case due to DNA evidence linking him to the scene, he denies any connection to the 1991 rape and murder. Investigators have noted striking similarities in the modus operandi of both attacks, leading to speculation that the same perpetrator may be responsible for both incidents.
Lawyer Florence Rault, representing the families of Narme and the 1999 victim, highlighted commonalities between the cases, suggesting a potential link between the two crimes. Pelicot’s defense attorney, Beatrice Zavarro, stated that Pelicot claims to have never met Sophie Narme and described the altercation in the 1999 case as not intended for rape, adding a layer of complexity to the ongoing investigations.