It is a case that seemed destined to remain in legal limbo. On February 10, 2002, the lifeless body of a prostitute of Ghanaian origin was discovered under the porch of a building in Limoges, lying in a pool of blood. The victim had several stab wounds to the breast, abdomen and genitals.
Despite the identification of eight genetic profiles at the crime scene, the investigation stalled. The file was closed for the first time in 2006, due to lack of convincing evidence. A reopening in 2015 did not allow further progress, despite the identification of a suspect who denied any involvement.
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A twist of theater thanks to DNA
It was finally on June 11, 2024 that a new twist occurred. Investigators are making a connection between the sperm found in a condom held by the victim and the genetic profile of an individual. This correspondence led to the arrest of the suspect on August 20, 2024, more than 22 years after the events.
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Placed in police custody, the man quickly confessed. He explains that he acted “out of madness” after consuming alcohol and cannabis. The suspect would have transferred the hatred he had for his ex-partner's new companion onto the victim.
A center dedicated to unresolved cases
This late resolution comes in a context of strengthening the means of French justice to elucidate cold cases. In March 2022, a national center dedicated to the treatment of serial or unsolved crimes was created within the Nanterre judicial court. This structure, unique in France, has the mission of centralizing and coordinating investigations into complex criminal cases that have remained unanswered for many years.
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Born from the desire to leave no crime unpunished, this specialized center mobilizes experienced magistrates and investigators, capable of taking up old cases in the light of new investigative technologies.
The Limoges affair, although resolved outside this framework, illustrates the type of cases that this center is required to deal with. It highlights the specialized and persistent approach in solving the most enigmatic crimes.
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