It’s a pretty rough-cast house, in a charming cul-de-sac in a peaceful town, on the borders of Yvelines and Eure-et-Loir. Marie Thérèse Garcia, its occupant for fifty years, is a 77-year-old woman appreciated by local residents. “I always found her nice, she told me that she would be there to help me if I needed it”, appreciates an elderly neighbor.
For 34 years that he has lived opposite, the mayor of Saint-Hilarion Jean-Claude Batteux has developed a courteous relationship with the owner of the premises. “During the pandemic, when everyone was applauding the caregivers, we met in the parking lot and Madame Garcia was among us, very friendly, says this former retired army officer. I was not interested in his private life. »
In the neighborhood, we also knew that she was raising one of her grand-nephews, after taking care of one of her granddaughters. “She is a woman with a big heart”, praises one of her relatives, whose opinion is however widely disputed. “She’s a professional manipulator,” objects one of her acquaintances. She knows perfectly how to deceive her but in reality she is false and hypocritical. I’m not surprised by what happens to him. Things were going to turn out well. »
Since this Thursday, “la Garcia”, as her detractors call her, has been sleeping in the remand center for women in Versailles (Yvelines). The septuagenarian who grew up in Montrouge (Hauts-de-Seine) was indicted for murder, kidnapping and kidnapping in an organized gang and placed in pre-trial detention. She is suspected of having ordered the murder of Corinne Di Dio, the former companion of her ex-brother-in-law, whose dismembered body was found in a trunk floating on the Seine in June 1995. She denies the charges which weigh against her.
A heavy family secret?
In Saint-Hilarion, the first questions arose in March, when investigators from the Versailles judicial police carried out a search that hardly went unnoticed. The police returned on Tuesday, this time to arrest Marie-Thérèse Garcia. The house was then placed under seal. Investigators are wondering if Corinne Di Dio’s body was mutilated inside. A heavy family secret seems to reign around this building which may not have revealed all its dark mysteries.
In the entourage of this mother of two daughters, of whom no one has the memory of any lasting professional activity, tongues are starting to loosen up. “I keep a very bad image of her”, is content to indicate her ex-brother-in-law. Coming from a family of four children of which there are only two sisters left, Marie-Thérèse Garcia is seen as an iron-fisted matriarch at the heart of a fractured family. “She had a hold on the whole clan, assures a resident of the town. She is indeed charming at first glance but, within her tribe, she was the law. I don’t want to hear about it anymore. »
His lawyer specifies that his criminal record is clean. Nevertheless, “Ma Dalton”, as several sources familiar with the matter have nicknamed her, is crowned with a sulphurous reputation. “She has a past”, assures an intimate. “She is a wicked and stubborn woman, rebounds a witness who knew her well. Even if she’s wrong, she’ll always say she’s right. And beware of those who oppose it. Everyone is afraid of it. “Upset by this unexpected indictment, a relative of Marie-Thérèse Garcia prefers on the contrary to underline her dedication and her generosity.
