Michel Fourniret’s former wife has been convicted of aiding in the murder of British student Joanna Parrish and two other French individuals, as the notorious serial killer.
Monique Olivier, age 75, confessed to the charges, but despite a three-week trial and a panel of three judges and six jurors, it took over 10 hours for a verdict to be reached.
She received a life sentence, with a minimum of 20 years. Olivier is currently incarcerated for life due to her involvement in the nearly 20-year long series of abductions and murders that caused trauma throughout France.
Roger Parrish, a former government worker from Newnham on Severn in Gloucestershire, saw the trial as a final chance for justice after 33 years for himself, his ex-wife Pauline Murrell, their son Barnaby, and Pauline’s then-boyfriend Patrick Proctor, who had gone to Paris during the trial.
Fourniret, also known as the “Ogre of the Ardennes,” was sentenced to life in prison in 2008 for the killing of seven other females. It took another ten years for him to confess to the murders of Parrish and two other victims, whose bodies were never recovered – 19-year-old Marie-Angèle Domèce, who went missing in 1988, and nine-year-old Estelle Mouzin, who disappeared in 2003. Fourniret passed away in 2021 at the age of 79 before facing trial for these crimes.
In French trials, defendants do not enter a plea. However, Olivier informed the court that he acknowledged all three killings and the accusations against him.
Olivier testified in court that on 16 May 1990, Fourniret violently attacked Parrish, who was 20 years old, rendering her unconscious. He then proceeded to rape and strangle her before disposing of her body in the River Yonne near the town of Auxerre in Burgundy. The victim’s unclothed body was discovered the following morning. Olivier acknowledged that her involvement in luring Parrish to her death was “monstrous” and something she cannot be forgiven for.
After being shown a picture of Parrish’s injured face, she stated, “It’s impossible. I feel remorseful. What we did, both him and I, was monstrous and unforgivable. If it were my daughter…she was so beautiful, she didn’t deserve that. I am sorry.”
During a press conference following the verdict on Tuesday, Parrish’s father expressed his satisfaction that Olivier’s involvement in aiding her former husband, a serial killer, had been acknowledged. Parrish also took a moment to honor all of the victims and stated that there was never any doubt in their minds that she was just as responsible for the murder of Joanna and other innocent victims.
“When the victim was first identified, the perpetrator was fully aware of the fate that awaited them. Not only did she fail to assist the victim, but she also actively promoted and took part in their capture and eventual killing.”
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Just her mere presence would have earned the trust of the victims, who would have never thought a woman could be involved in such a horrific and immoral act. However, her involvement in these actions has been unquestionably proven.
“After overcoming this final obstacle in our quest for justice for Joanna, we can now remember our daughter and sister with fondness, just as her many friends do.”
The way the couple operated was for Olivier to entice the victims into their vehicle. As a woman, she was less likely to make them feel afraid or suspicious. Meanwhile, Fourniret would either be waiting in the back of the vehicle or standing further down the road with an empty gas can, pretending to be stranded and in need of assistance. They would also sometimes bring their son, Selim, who was a baby at the time but is now 35 years old, as an additional way to gain trust from potential targets.
Parrish, a student studying language at Leeds University, was working as a teaching assistant at a secondary school in Auxerre for eight months. In order to fund a trip to visit her boyfriend, Patrick Proctor, who was studying Russian in the former Czechoslovakia, she posted a small advertisement in the nearby newspaper offering tutoring and babysitting services.
She informed her roommate that she was going to meet a man who needed her to tutor his son in English. Olivier explained how they convinced the woman to enter their vehicle with them.
The Parrish family’s lawyer, Didier Seban, questioned why Olivier did not intervene when he heard Joanna’s screams and her husband’s beating, despite being in the vehicle during Fourniret’s attack.
Seban stated that if the story of English lessons had not been invented, she would not have gotten into the car. He believes that the person should have intervened, as they were aware of the consequences of her getting in.
During a tumultuous court hearing, Olivier seemed to withdraw as Judge Didier Safar bombarded her with questions. The father of nine-year-old Estelle Mouzin, who is believed to be one of Fourniret’s youngest victims, received little information. Olivier recounted seeing the girl sitting on a mattress in Fourniret’s sister’s home just hours after he had abducted her from the street on her way back from school.
“I had a brief conversation with her. She expressed her desire to see her mother. I reassured her that she would see her soon,” Olivier stated in court. Mouzin never reappeared. Despite repeated questioning, Olivier maintained that she had no knowledge of the whereabouts of Domèce or Mouzin’s bodies.
Stephanie Pottier, the state prosecutor’s lawyer, stated that the individual in question willingly complied with Michel Fourniret’s actions after a crime was committed. Despite having the opportunity to flee and not be an active accomplice, as well as potentially saving the victims and reporting him, she chose not to do so. Together, they formed a lethal duo, a couple with complete criminal complicity.
Prior to the jury’s deliberation, Olivier expressed remorse to the families of the victims. “I humbly ask for forgiveness… acknowledging that my actions are inexcusable. I deeply regret everything I have done,” she stated.
Source: theguardian.com
