On the night of June 21 to 22, Emmanuel Becat, the night watchman at the “Nouvelle France” social hotel on rue Keller (Paris 11th) was found dead in his dressing room. Four suspects are on the run.
It was around 11:30 p.m. on the night of June 21 to 22 when the police received a call. But instead of being alerted for a conflict between two Music Festival revelers, the authorities will discover a sordid crime.
They are warned that a safe is abandoned on the sidewalk of rue Keller, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. On site, the police learned that the object came from the “Nouvelle France” social hotel, located at 31 rue. Warned, the manager told the investigators that the safe contained the month’s receipts. At the request of the police, he opened the guard’s lodge.
This is where Emmanuel Becat, known as “Manu”, is located, the hotel’s night watchman. Lying on his bed, the 64-year-old man died. His hands are tied with rope and his feet with an electric cable. And above all, his body “ has multiple bruises » according to a source cited by -17. Investigators also found several bottles of White Spiritundoubtedly used by the murderers to hide all traces.
The vehicle is abandoned with the engine running
According to a witness, four hooded suspects tried around 9:30 p.m. to put the safe in a van but gave up due to the weight and size of the object. Their vehicle is found “ engine running » Avenue du Trône, near Place de la Nation. According to witnesses, they then fled via the metro.
Therefore, the hypothesis of a theft of the safe which went wrong seems favored by the police forces. An investigation is opened for “organized gang murder”, “organized gang kidnapping” and “organized gang theft”. Especially since Emmanuel Becat had already been attacked ten days previously by several individuals who had tried to steal the safe by posing as delivery men.
A disreputable hotel
According to witnesses interviewed by Le Parisien, the victim was a neighborhood figure “ a little mythical but very nice » who had lived in the district for around fifteen years. One of the tenants of the building, Sabrina, deplores the death of the caretaker: “ Who could blame Manu? I don’t understand. He was super nice and helpful. »
The “Nouvelle France” hotel has a very bad reputation, known for being inhabited by “ people with big problems » according to the manager of a nearby café cited by Le Parisien. “ The police come there once a month. » Online reviews of the hotel are equally dire: “ It should be a crime to call it a hotel », « Noisy, violent and dirty neighbors » we can read.
An autopsy is expected to be performed within the week. The suspects are still actively sought by the police.
