the essential
The public prosecutor’s office has opened a murder investigation following the death of a resident of a nursing home in Toulouse. Her 77-year-old roommate is the main suspect.
It is a mysterious tragedy. A pensioner was killed Thursday evening in the room of a nursing home located in Toulouse. Since this macabre discovery, another resident has been arrested, although his involvement remains uncertain. The public prosecutor has opened a murder investigation, entrusted to the units of the Territorial Crime Division (DCT). All the hypotheses are currently being explored.
This affair began on June 27, shortly after 11 p.m., within the walls of the Sainte-Monique nursing home, rue du Tchad, in Toulouse.
A slipper in hand
That evening, an unusual noise was heard by the staff and residents of the “Alzheimer’s” unit. On site, witnesses claimed to have seen a man come out of the next room with a slipper in his hand. Did he use this object to attack this woman?
Taken aback by this improbable scene, the employees entered the patient’s room. Their discovery was chilling. This 77-year-old woman was no longer breathing. She appeared to have been hit and probably suffocated.
The suspect, his roommate also aged 77, was quickly subdued. During this time, emergency services intervene to revive the victim. They can only note the death.
Arriving on site shortly after midnight, the national police attempted to question the retiree. But this septuagenarian, unknown to the justice system until now, makes incoherent comments. He is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and seems to be in crisis. To the point of being hospitalized and sedated urgently. Since Friday morning, his state of health has not allowed him to be heard.
While awaiting police custody, his room and that of the victim have been sealed. The forensic police have collected several pieces of evidence. These elements are currently being analyzed.
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In recent hours, the forensic doctor, who autopsied the victim’s body, noted traces of blows on the face and arms as well as probable asphyxia syndrome. The intervention of a third party in the death of this lady seems indisputable. “Murder is the preferred avenue,” confirms the Toulouse prosecutor’s office.
“Be careful of the culprits too quickly designated”
And at this stage of the investigations, several elements would confirm the involvement of the suspect in this fatal attack. “We must be careful of those who are guilty who are too quickly identified. Especially when they are not capable of defending themselves,” nevertheless explains Véronique Frugier, the director of the “Senior Generations” support sector, manager of this structure which accommodates 80 residents.
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Since the events, a psychological unit has been set up to support employees and residents shocked by the events. In recent hours, the police have been interviewing several witnesses. They hope to determine a coherent scenario and formally identify the murderer.
