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FRENCH AUTHORITIES HAVE today ordered new DNA tests in the hope of finding fresh evidence in the 28-year-old murder of a little boy that remains one of the country’s deepest unsolved mysteries.
The killing of four-year-old Gregory Villemin – who was found tied up and drowned in the Vologne river in eastern France in October 1984 – sparked a long and convoluted legal saga that transfixed France for years.
Dijon prosecutor general Jean-Marie Beney said a court had agreed to a request from Gregory’s parents – Christine and Jean-Marie Villemin – for new DNA tests to be conducted on the boy’s clothing and shoes.
“The court granted the parents’ request, supported by the public prosecutor, regarding complementary tests to search for DNA on (Gregory’s) clothing” and his shoes, Beney told a press conference.
“The tests will be launched fairly quickly, in the coming weeks,” he said, adding the tests were “fairly long and complicated” and would probably involve laser microdissection.
The family’s lawyer Thierry Moser said Gregory’s parents were “very satisfied” with the decision and hoping new forensic techniques would finally shed light on the case.
“We are reasonably hopeful, we believe there is still a serious chance” of solving the mystery, he told AFP, adding that new techniques would allow searching for “minute traces” of DNA on the clothing.
The death of “Little Gregory,” as he became known, led to one of France’s most notorious post-war murder mysteries, as police sought to untangle a web of family hatreds and local jealousies.
A day after Gregory’s body was found, a letter arrived at the home of the child’s parents – who had been receiving anonymous hate mail since 1981 – claiming responsibility for the murder and calling it “revenge”.
Bernard Laroche, a cousin of the child’s father, was charged with the murder a month after the boy’s death, based on evidence given by a teenage sister-in-law.
He was released after she withdrew her claims, only to be shot dead in March 1985 by Jean-Marie Villemin, who spent two and a half years in prison for the crime.
Christine Villemin was herself charged with the murder in 1985. But she was finally cleared eight years later and all charges against her dropped.
The case was wrapped up in 2001 after failing to identify either Gregory’s murderer or the sender of the letters, but reopened in 2010 to take advantage of new forensic techniques.
All photos by AP
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Reminds me of the scene in only fools and horses when Albert was being questioned about being overseas in the war. He was actually stationed in a parts depot on the isle of white. The barrister says to him, the isle of white? hardly overseas? He replies, you wanna try and walk it pal!
Did nobody think to show him a map?
@Social Guy: or the sole of their boot.
Another example of petty unionism. Oul Lizzie knew the score.
My god I was wondering for a min what was point of showing, a maybe not great moment for Trimble, in a kinda minor matter considering all things that had to be discussed over those tense years. Actually thought no need for that sort of stuff anymore… then I woke up and realised it’s all about Bertie the ‘hero’ .. One could think a Presidential campaign is ongoing. wonder will it be Bertie adds pop’n up.
I for one do acknowledge his role in the GFA as I do many others and don’t omit them either.
Bertie was a player in the details of the GFA, but after its conception was won by others.
Is Bertie beating the British ongoing to be the campaign narrative.
@Troll Hunter: Don’t panic. We’ll be given the chance to judge him at the ballot if he runs for president. We were afforded this opportunity for Martin McGuinness. He received just 13.7% of the vote.
@honey badger: did northern Ireland have a vote in that 13.7?
@Pork Hunt: Different jurisdiction, porkie, of course not. It did highlight how his appeal wasn’t shared as universally as the shinner hagiographers insisted. ;)
@honey badger: Morning Badger. I truly at first thought it was actually a low blow at Trimble..
Is there any chance for once to have some sort of an actual conversation ? I know you hate SF/IRa an all that.. Many do, and for many reasons. It doesn’t surprise me, I can understand many of the reasons they have. I can understand soldier Jack hating them and all things Irish, when someone wants to kill you, it’s understandable that eventually you will get to hate and want to kill them in return. Will you tell us why you hate them so much ? Are you British, A soldier a Unionist etc? Don’t tell me if you dont want to .. but if you were I’d actually understand it and while never agree, respect it.
@Troll Hunter: This isn’t a therapy session, my friend. As I told you above, you’ll have a chance to judge Ahern if he runs for president. We all will. Don’t panic. Stay on topic. :)
@honey badger: That came out all wrong, but intention was pure.. but never mind, a momentary lapse in judgment, in thinking you’d put your money where your mouth is.
@Troll Hunter: Your lapse was addressing yourself as “us” and the attendant arrogance of expecting a reply to a question that’s predicated on the assumption that I must be British, a soldier, or a Unionist to hold McGuinness in contempt. No wonder you still seem shocked that McGuinness wasn’t carried by cheering crowds to Aras…
@honey badger: I wasn’t assuming you were, I was saying that I understand those views coming from them.. as i said on other Ian Paisley article to the ex British para..
@honey badger: You’re a worse bigot now, than Paisley was then, before he accepting both histories, shaking hands like a man and moving on with goals of truly moving on…
Think about that for a minute ..
@honey badger: comments are getting split for some reason and some pieces missing.. tedious enough to comment .. let alone without it getting mixed up.. so good day sir..
@Troll Hunter: Nope. Your implication assumes that only british/soldiers/ unionists have an understandably dim view of McGuinness/SF. I suppose it’s easier to digest than 86% of the electorate rejecting old Marty/SF. I won’t even mention how 93% of the electorate rejected Liadh Ni Riada/SF in 2019 – you’ve enough to contens with ;)
@honey badger: old Marty did a lot better than your buddy Alan Shatter! Now there’s a truly vile despicable man!
@joe moody: Shatter was elected several times, served as minister for justice. Marty came down here, told lies on tv, didn’t get elected, and returned to his role as joint chief administrator of British rule of northern Ireland. Good old Marty! A true son of Roisin!
It gets more bizarre by the day.
And now we have the WILD ATLANTIC WAY fantastic island we live in
We live on an island, everywhere else is overseas! But instead of it being noted , it turns in to another excuse for them to block what the people voted for.
So build a bridge? Surely everyone would support that and then barmy reasoning would be er, less barmy
@Thesaltyurchin: In one of the few things that Bojo actually followed through on when he was PM he commissioned a study which itself cost £1m into the feasibility of a bridge between NI and Scotland. The final cost came in at £400bn or something in that region. It would have to be closed for about 150 days a year due to the weather and the construction would have to navigate a WW1/WW2 munitions dump. It would also take decades to complete and would connect the middle of nowhere in NI to the middle of nowhere in Scotland. In other words it will never ever happen.
@John Moore: These proud people would get it done.
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