“I will provide as many answers as possible”, the first words of the accused to the victim's family

The trial of Ludovic Bertin, accused of the murder of Victorine Dartois and the rape of another young woman, opened this Monday before the Isère Assize Court. The accused claimed to want to provide “answers” ​​to the family of the student, killed at the age of 18 while returning from an afternoon with friends.

More than four years after the murder of Victorine Dartois, the young woman's family hopes to obtain “the truth” on the circumstances of his death. Ludovic Bertin has been appearing since Monday, November 25 before the Isère Assize Court, accused of the murder of the student preceded by an attempted rape.

“I will start by saying that I am happy that the judgment can begin so that I can provide as many answers as possible to the Dartois family, even if I am aware that everything I can say will not repair what I I did. That's all I had to say.”declared the accused, questioned by the president during the first day of the hearing.

Ludovic Bertin, 29, appeared in his box in a gray polo shirt, athletic build, close-cropped hair and three-day beard. The accused, married and father of a family, was a distant neighbor of the Dartois family in Villefontaine, a town in the north of Isère. He was arrested for the murder of Victorine a few weeks after the events, denounced by one of his closest friends fearing that Ludovic Bertin would end his life.

The latter quickly admitted having killed the young woman, but always denied the attempted rape, citing a “altercation” at the origin of his action. “A stampede took place. Then there was what he perceived as being an invective, an insult, (…) something that he interpreted as such”detailed his lawyer, Me Arnaud Adélise, interviewed by the press on the sidelines of the hearing.

The disappearance of the 18-year-old student was reported on September 26, 2020 by her father, not seeing her return from an afternoon with friends in a shopping center. The young girl's body was discovered two days later in a stream in the town of Roche (Isère), presenting numerous lesions as well as marks of strangulation. His pants were found in the water, a few centimeters from his feet, belt and fly open, button undone.

The death of the young woman, described by those close to her as shy, gentle and kind, caused great emotion. A white march was notably organized, bringing together several thousand people. On the first day of the hearing, the Dartois family was “very proven” by recalling the facts, according to their lawyer, Me Kelly Monteiro.

“It was very complicated to be confronted with the murderer of their daughter and their sister. It was a day they had been waiting for. (…) Ludovic Bertin did not deign to give them a single glance while my “Customers looked at him relentlessly. We didn't get an apology, but we don't particularly expect one.explained to Me Monteiro.

Discovering the suspect's face in the press, during his arrest for Victorine's murder, another young woman came forward to the courts. Vicky* filed a complaint in October 2020 for rape against Ludovic Bertin, denouncing events that took place two years earlier, at his home, after a nightclub outing. The accused evokes a consensual relationship while the victim describes a scene of violence and a relationship that she had resigned herself to accepting while her attacker was strangling her. She had initially given up filing a complaint, preferring to forget.

The life journey of the accused was retraced during the first day of the hearing, from his childhood “difficile” to his conflictual marriage, also returning to his reputation as “womanizer”. Ludovic Bertin grew up in Bonnefamille, a village in Nord-Isère, with his mother, with his little brother and his five half-brothers and sisters. His father, who never recognized him and of whom he has few memories, died when he was 9 years old.

To the personality investigator, Ludovic Bertin's wife recounted the violence he was allegedly the victim of in his childhood, his mother having, according to her, put him on the street for some time when he was 16 years old. The accused confirmed having been the victim of violence, without wishing to say more, while his mother simply spoke of “cris” regular.

After a chaotic school career, he did not obtain any diploma but found work as a temporary worker and then in the transport sector. He finally opened his own transport company at the beginning of 2020 where he recruited his brother and his cousin, without however being able to pay himself a salary.

Described as invested in his work by those close to him, he is also presented as the “leader” of his family. His wife, whom he met when he was 14, talks about a husband “very protective” et “generous”. However, both describe a stormy relationship, leading to verbal and physical violence. Ludovic Bertin also acknowledges having “much deceived” his wife.

The father talks about sometimes excessive alcohol consumption and his addiction to cocaine. He claimed to have consumed it “daily” during the two years preceding his arrest, as was the case, according to him, on the evening of the murder of Victorine Dartois.

“We know that Mr. Bertin is not telling us the truth, it is objectified by the elements that we were able to collect as part of the investigation. (The Dartois family) needs to hear the executioner of their girl tell what happened”however estimated the lawyer for the civil parties, wishing “confront” the accused to the elements collected during the investigation. The hearing continues this Tuesday with hearings from relatives of Ludovic Bertin.

* Borrowed first name.