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Summary
French authorities have linked convicted rapist Dominique Pelicot to multiple violent crimes of over three decades, including a 1991 rape and murder and a 1999 attempted rape, after forensic evidence connected him to the cases.
Dominique Pelicot, already known for orchestrating the repeated rape of his ex-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, has now been linked to multiple violent crimes spanning more than three decades.
In December, Dominique was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of drugging Gisèle and facilitating her assault by over 50 men. Fifty co-defendants were also convicted of rape, sexual assault, or attempted rape in connection with the case.
The NYTimes reports that the French Authorities now suspect that Dominique Pelicot may have committed other serious crimes long before his conviction. Prosecutors have linked him to the 1991 attempted rape of a 19-year-old woman and murder of a 23-year-old real estate agent. Both victims were drugged with ether, restrained, and found with their shoes neatly placed beside them, details that suggest a disturbing and methodical pattern. Investigators fear that these crimes may only be part of a broader history of predatory behaviour, with additional victims yet to be identified.
A breakthrough in these cold cases came in 2020 when he was arrested for secretly filming women in a supermarket, the same crime he had also committed in 2010. Unlike the earlier incident, this time, security personnel urged victims to file official complaints, prompting authorities to conduct a deeper investigation. Forensic analysis soon linked his DNA to the 1999 attempted rape, leading prosecutors to reopen the 1991 murder case.
Under questioning, Dominique Pelicot admitted to drugging the 1999 victim but denied involvement in the 1991 murder. Prosecutors have since indicted him for both crimes, merging them into a single case due to their striking similarities.
While no trial date has been set, authorities continue to investigate his past, as lawyers representing the victims push for further action to ensure justice for all those affected.
