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Al-Hilli massacre: Crimes are “not solved” says prosecutor, as a second man is arrested
Al-Hilli massacre: Crimes are 'not solved' says prosecutor, as a second man is arrested
(about 7 hours later)
The mystery of the Al-Hilli family massacre in the French Alps remains unsolved despite the arrest of a 48-year-old local man, leading investigators said today.
Hopes were dashed on Wednesday of a rapid resolution of the 18-month saga of the massacre of an Iraqi-British family in the French Alps. Despite a series of intriguing, circumstantial connections, investigators said there was no clear evidence to link the shootings to a former policeman and antique weapons enthusiast arrested on Tuesday.
A second local man – also 48 years old – was arrested today for questioning about his links with the former policeman, Eric D, who was arrested on Tuesday.
The 48-year-old man – not officially identified but named by local media as Eric Devouasoux – faces formal accusations today or tomorrow of illegal trafficking in Second World War weapons, including shells and grenades. A friend, also 48, who was arrested on Tuesday night as he tried to flee the area, faces similar charges.
The pair are suspected of running an illegal trade in old World War Two weapons, including grenades and shells.
But the Annecy state prosecutor, Eric Maillaud, told a press conference that there was no clear evidence “so far” linking either man to the slaying of three members of the Al-Hilli family and a French cyclist on 5 September 2012.
But the Annecy prosecutor, Eric Maillaud, told a press conference this afternoon that there was no clear evidence “so far” linking either man to the brutal murder of three members of the British-Iraqi Al-Hilli family and a French cyclist 18 months ago.
“There is no case against him at the moment but that may change,” Mr Maillaud said. “This man bears a strong resemblance to someone we know to have been close to the scene of the crime.”
Mr Maillaud said that the former policeman had a record or making racist remarks and had also verbally “attacked” foreign tourists in the past. His mobile phone records showed that, on 5 September 2012, when he was still a municipal police officer in a nearby town, he was close to the scene of the massacre near the village of Chevaline.
It appears that magistrates will take advantage of the weapons-dealing accusations to prolong the initial four-day arrest period. Mr Maillaud said Mr Devouasoux had a record of making racist remarks and had also verbally “attacked” foreign tourists in the past. His mobile phone records showed that, on 5 September 2012 – when he was still a municipal police officer in a nearby town – he was close to the scene of the murders near the village of Chevaline.
The phone records suggest that he “could have been present” at the scene of the murders but offer no definite proof, Mr Mailaud said. Bullets of 7.65 mm calibre, similar to those used in the quadruple murder, were found in police raids on two houses owned by Eric D in villages near Chevaline on Tuesday.
The phone records suggest he “could have been present” but offer no proof, Mr Mailaud said. Bullets similar to those used in the killings were found in raids on two houses owned by Mr Devouasoux near Lake Annecy on Tuesday.
The prosecutor said that the former policeman also bore a strong physical resemblance to a motorcyclist seen near the murder scene who has ignored all appeals to come forward.
The prosecutor said the former police officer also bore a strong physical resemblance to a motorcyclist seen near the murder scene, who has ignored all appeals to come forward.
On the other hand, Mr Maillaud said, there was no firm evidence so far tying the former policeman to the murders. An antique Luger revolver found in one of the houses was not the one used by the killer. He had no known connection with the Al-Hilli family and none with the French cyclist who was also murdered.
On the other hand, there was no firm evidence so far tying the former policeman to the killings. An antique Luger revolver found in one of the houses was not the one used by the killer. He had no known connection with the al-Hilli family or the French cyclist who was also murdered.
“As I speak, the slaughter at Chevaline is not yet explained,” Mr Maillaud said. “Nothing points to the fact that we have perhaps found the murderer. The investigation must continue. ”
“As I speak, the slaughter at Chevaline is not yet explained,” Mr Maillaud said. “Nothing points to the fact that we have perhaps found the murderer. The investigation must continue.”
The theory of a random crime by an “isolated, local” gunman was being taken seriously, he said. But all other lines of investigation, including a quarrel over a will within the Al-Hilli family, “remained open”.
The theory of a random crime by an “isolated, local” gunman was being taken seriously, he said. But all other lines of investigation, including a quarrel over a will within the al-Hilli family, were open. Zaid al-Hilli, elder brother of Saad who died in the shootings, was still considered a possible suspect, he said.
Zaid Al-Hilli, elder brother of Saad who died in the shootings, was still considered a possible “suspect” he said.
Eric D had been under surveillance for several weeks before he was arrested. A number of local people had tipped off gendarmes about his resemblance to an e-fit sketch released in November last year of the biker seen close to the massacre.
Forestry workers told gendarmes at the time that they had seen a beefy man with a beard on a private road in the mountains just above the crime scene. He was wearing a rare type of motorcycle helmet with a sideways opening at the mouth and jaw.
Just after he was seen, a gunman attacked the Iraqi-British Al-Hilli family in their maroon-coloured BNW estate car in a lay-by at the end of a steeply winding forest road. Saad al-Hilli, 50, a satellite engineer from Surrey, his wife, Iqbal, 47, and her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, 74, were shot repeatedly. A local cyclist, Sylvain Mollier, 45, was found lying dead beside their car, shot several times in the head and body.
Seven-year-old Zainab al-Hilli was found alive outside the car, beaten savagely about the head and face and wounded by a gunshot in her shoulder. Her sister, Zeena, aged 4, was found eight hours after the killings, unharmed but terrified, hiding under her dead mother’s legs.
September 2012: Police guard the road to the spot where Saad al-Hilli and his family were killed
September 2012: Police guard the road to the spot where Saad al-Hilli and his family were killed
Eric D was identified by French journalists as a father of three and a gun-lover with a reputation for making racist remarks. He was dismissed from his job as a municipal policeman – a low-level, unarmed officer – in a nearby town last June, nine months after the murders.
Mr Devouasoux had been under surveillance for several weeks before he was arrested. A number of residents had tipped off gendarmes about his resemblance to an artist’s sketch of the biker seen close to the massacre. Forestry workers told gendarmes at the time that they saw a beefy, bearded man on a private road in the mountains just above the crime scene, wearing a rare type of motorcycle helmet.
Neighbours told local journalists, however, that they had never seen Eric D riding a motorcycle. He was identified by gendarmerie detectives as a possible “witness” or “suspect” after pubic tip-offs that he resembled a sketch published in November of the beefy, bearded motorcyclist seen in the mountains above the forest lay-by where the murders happened.
Just after he was seen, a gunman attacked the al-Hilli family in their maroon BMW estate in a lay-by at the end of a steeply winding forest road. Saad al-Hilli, 50, a satellite engineer, of Claygate, Surrey, his wife, Iqbal, a 47-year-old dentist, and her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, 74, were shot repeatedly. A French cyclist, Sylvain Mollier, 45, was found lying dead beside their car, shot several times.
Neighbours and acquaintances painted a mixed portrait of Eric D. Alexis, a waiter in Menthon-Saint Bernard where he was once a policeman, described him as “very nice” and “always ready to listen”. When he was dismissed from the local force, he worked for a Swiss security firm and gained the nickname, in English, “Men in Black”.
The al-Hillis’ seven-year-old daughter, Zainab, was found alive outside the car, beaten savagely and wounded by a gunshot to her shoulder. Her sister Zeena, four, was found eight hours after the killings, unharmed but terrified, hiding beneath her dead mother’s legs.
Other local people descrbed him as an unpleasant, “aggressive” man, who loved to hand out parking tickets and was known for making “xenophobic” or “racist” remarks.
According to the regional newspaper, Le Dauphine Liberé, records of Eric D’s mobile phone show that he was close to the murder scene on 5 September but it is unclear how close.
Eric D was under questioning for a second day today at the regional gendarmerie headquarters in Chambéry. Mr Maillaud said that he and the other man would be formally accused of illegal trafficking in antique arms, including grenades and shells from World War Two.
The murders have generated several official lines of inquiry – and a host of wild speculations – but their motive has never been clear. The only other person arrested during an 18-month joint French-British investigation was Mr Al-Hilli’s older brother, Zaid.
He was questioned by Surrey police last year about a quarrel with his brother over their father’s £800,000 will but was released without charge. Surrey police said last month that there was no evidence to link him with the killings.
