“Albert Pel, the Savoyard Landru”, the new book by Pierre Hoffmann

Albert Pel, a watchmaker from Tarentaise, turns out to be an obscure figure in the criminal history of the late 19th century. The Haute-Savoie author Pierre Hoffmann immerses us in the destiny of this man, who left his mark with a series of murders, with his book “Albert Pel, the Landru Savoyard”. Albert Pel, manipulator and passionate about chemistry, poisoned his companies before making them disappear in worrying circumstances. A thrilling story where the shadow of Pel’s influence even seems to extend to another famous criminal, Henri Landru.

The fate of an elusive criminal

Albert Pel, born in 1849 in Tarentaise, became a watchmaker like his father after joining his mother in Paris. His appearance did not predestined him to charm, but his talent as a joker and his passion for chemistry, particularly poisons, will lead him down a dangerous path. His mother died in troubled circumstances in 1872, but the cholera epidemic at the time allowed Pel to escape suspicion.

After two marriages, one of which ended with the mysterious death of his wife, Pel settled in Montreuil. This is where his actions will attract attention. His neighbors alerted the police because of suspicious smoke and the smell of roasted flesh emanating from his chimney. In 1884, at the age of 35, he was finally arrested, and an investigation revealed that he had killed several women, often after having squandered their money.

Pell’s influence on Henri Landru

The Pel affair caused a stir at the time, and this criminal’s methods seemed to have inspired another infamous murderer: Henri Landru. According to Pierre Hoffmann, who conducted a careful investigation into this case, Pell influenced Landru’s first steps, notably with his method of poisoning followed by the hiding of the bodies. Pel’s macabre innovation lies in using his stove to erase all traces of his crimes.

Sentenced to forced labor for life, Pel died in prison at the age of 75, becoming one of the oldest convicts in France. A story that combines perversity, calculation and a strange fascination with evil, even long after his death.