A 76-year-old man shoots his niece with a hunting rifle and commits suicide: the day after the tragedy, the motive for the murder remains unexplained

In the aftermath of an “unthinkable” tragedy which plunged the village of Montjoire into a mixture of stupor and sadness, the question remains the same, at the foot of the Buzet forest, 20 km from Toulouse. For what ?

Saturday morning, after more than 30 minutes of driving from Lavaur, in Tarn, where he lived, a 76-year-old man parked at the end of the road to the house on the Route de Layrac, in Montjoire. The house where Anne, her niece, lived. With this woman, widowed for a few months, Michel, her uncle, maintained a close family relationship.

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A 76-year-old man shoots his niece with a hunting rifle and commits suicide: “incomprehensible”, the shock in this small town near Toulouse

However, on Saturday morning, this hunting enthusiast, very popular in Lavaur, left his car with a rifle in hand. He entered the house and opened fire. Anne was killed instantly. The new companion of this retiree was not targeted. The shooter quickly left the house before committing suicide in front of the gate.

Hearings of relatives

This violence raises questions. Why did this man, apparently of strong character, act like this? His past would not be marked by a similar act despite his “rants”. “In Lavaur, he is known and very appreciated,” confides a resident. Gendarmerie investigators, under the orders of the Toulouse deputy prosecutor, are continuing their interviews, particularly with the relatives of the two victims.

Delicate work in the face of stunned witnesses, torn between sadness and trauma. For the moment, there is nothing to explain this action. Can the cancer against which Anne courageously fought explain this stroke of madness? The 70-year-old woman, who shared her life with a new companion, gave no sign of wanting to “end it”. And certainly not as violently.