This is a news item that shocked the French. A few days ago, Philippine’s body was found buried in the Bois de Boulogne. Since then, a suspect has been arrested. The latter, aged 22, is suspected of being behind the murder of the young woman. It was this Tuesday, September 24, that his arrest was possible, at the Geneva train station in Switzerland. As indicated BFMVinvestigators from the criminal brigade carried out telephone investigations. They were also able to view images from video surveillance cameras from Friday, September 20.
These showed Philippine walking towards the Bois de Boulogne after her lunch.
These CCTV images were essential. The media outlet specifies that they allowed us to see, a few hours later, a withdrawal from an ATM made with Philippine’s bank card, in Montreuil-sous-Bois in Seine-Saint-Denis. It was the suspect who was in possession of this card, thus suggesting that he was behind the murder of the young woman. He then managed to escape from French territory and the research and intervention brigade (BRI) warned their Geneva counterparts.
The arrest of Taha O. was possible this Tuesday, September 24, around 7 p.m.
Murder of Philippine: a suspect known to justice
An extradition request will be sent to the Swiss authorities so that the main suspect can return to France. Once back, Taha O. will be questioned by investigators regarding the murder of the young woman. Since June 18, he had been under OQTF with the obligation to leave French territory. On August 19, he had been registered in the wanted persons file following the issuance of the OQTF. It was in 2019, at the age of 17, that Taha O. arrived in France.
He was able to enter the country legally with a tourist visa valid from June 13, 2019 to July 27, 2019.
Taha O. was known to the justice system. Shortly after his arrival in France, he had raped a 23-year-old student. The events took place on a forest path in Taverny (Val-d’Oise). He was quickly identified and arrested thanks to his DNA. Following his trial, Taha O. was sentenced to seven years in prison and placed in pre-trial detention from September 5, 2019, at the Nanterre penitentiary center. He was then transferred to the Joux-la-Ville detention center on March 15, 2022 before being released on June 20, 2024 to go to a detention center. He had served five years in prison out of the seven required.
Philippine Murder: Autopsy Results Revealed
Philippine’s relatives are hoping to get answers. An autopsy was performed and The experts at the Quai de la Râpée concluded that death was due to asphyxiation.. In its columns this Tuesday, September 24, The Parisian explains that, most often, this formulation is associated with strangulation.
Was Philippine strangled and then partially buried in the woods? However, experts are not entirely sure about this hypothesis. Indeed, there is no trace of tightening around his neck. “When a victim is killed by strangulation, it is seen quite clearly at autopsy,” indicated a scientific source before continuing: “There is generally no hesitation about this.” However, this is not the case with Philippine.
