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Biography[]
Early life and first murder[]
Michel Sydor's childhood was marked by abuse and the Second World War. In his youth, he took pleasure in torturing and killing animals. Growing up in an unhealthy and unstable environment, he fell into marginality and wandered the streets. He invents the persona of a legionnaire and adopts it as his nickname (he was never a legionnaire, but identifies himself as one).[1]
Sydor committed his first murder around 1950, killing a prostitute during a dispute with her. He was arrested and remanded in custody for murder. The Assize Court sentenced him to 5 years' hard labor, the victim's status being illegal at the time.
After his release, Sydor settled in Pas-de-Calais, where he worked in agriculture and forestry. He married Gilberte Boudry in January 1958, and gave birth to two children. Among his in-laws and friends, no one is aware of his criminal record. In his line of work, Sydor is described as hard-working and courageous.[2]
In 1961, Giberte decided to leave him and move in with her parents, along with their two children. At this point, Sydor became a minder's helper, but was soon dismissed after sending love letters to two young girls. Unemployed, he decides to take revenge on his wife.[2]
Murder of Gilberte Boudry[]
On the night of December 22, 1961, Sydor went to visit Gilberte's parents in Lens. Armed with a 9mm pistol, he shot his wife in the head and her father-in-law, Henri Boudry. Wounded in the shoulder, he returned fire with his shotgun and shot Sydor, who was seriously wounded. The young man fled, while Henri called for help. When they arrive on the scene, they discover that Gilberte has died, but manage to treat Henri, who recovers from his wounds. He claims that his daughter's killer is none other than his son-in-law Michel Sydor, aged 32 and already convicted of murder a few years earlier.[2]
The day after the crime, Sydor was arrested and placed in police custody. He denied the crime, before admitting that he had killed his wife because she was about to leave him. After his arrest, Sydor was charged with murder and attempted murder and remanded in custody. The press dubbed him the “Farmer of the Red Valley”, referring to a valley of blood.[2]
From June 25 to 26, 1964, Sydor appeared before the Pas-de-Calais Assize Court for the murder of his wife and the attempted murder of his father-in-law, where he faced the death penalty. Although he pleaded a crime of passion, the court refused to give him a 20-year prison sentence - which could have given him the extenuating circumstances of a crime of passion - and sentenced him to life imprisonment.[2]
In 1972, Sydor was granted a presidential pardon, reducing his sentence to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment. Release and presumed respite.[3]
Release and presumed respite[]
Sydor was released in 1978, after 17 years in prison, and moved to Haute-Savoie.[4]
In 1981, his neighbors caught him torturing animals and denounced him. Sydor was charged with cruelty to animals, but was allowed to go free. In 1982, he was banned from living in Haute-Savoie. He moved into a barracks in Neuvecelle, despite the ban. Sydor identifies himself to his neighbors as a former legionnaire, though they have no idea that this is a pure fabrication.[1]
On several occasions, Sydor attempts to shoot his neighbors with a hunting rifle. They filed two complaints against him, in 1988 and 1989, but the investigations were dropped. In addition to shooting, Sydor wrote indecent letters to young girls. Several complaints were also lodged against him in this connection, but to no avail. Because of his behavior, Sydor is perceived by his neighbors as a “strange” and “disturbed” person, close to marginalism.[4]
It is suspected that he may have committed other crimes between 1978 and 1993, but no evidence has yet been found to prove his guilt.
Murder of Jessica Blanc[]
On the night of July 25, 1993, Sydor abducted 7-year-old Jessica Blanc from the village of Vacheresse, between Evian and Morzine. He accosts her in the street and makes her get into his car. He drove to her home in Neuvecelle, raped and killed her. He left her body a few yards from her garden. Jessica's parents, alerted by her absence, report her disappearance to the police station. Two young men also went to the station and claimed to have seen Jessica with a man before she disappeared. They also claim to have had a bad feeling, as they had never seen the man before in Vacheresse. Their description of the man and the model of his car helped identify the kidnapper, 64-year-old Michel Sydor.[5]
The police went to Sydor's house at around 1am. When questioned about the traces of blood on his hands, he claims to have tripped. Convinced that Jessica might still be alive, the police searched Sydor's home and found the girl's body in his garden. Placed in police custody, Sydor claims to have met Jessica at the fair. According to his statements, the little girl told him she was tired, but that her parents couldn't bring him home because of a sexual encounter. Sydor asked her if she had ever had sex with boys. According to Sydor, Jessica replied that she had done so twice with his neck.[5]
On July 27, Sydor was indicted for kidnapping, murder and rape of a minor under the age of 15, committed in a state of recidivism, and remanded in custody.[5]
After his indictment, a woman lawyer was appointed to represent him. Refusing her services, Sydor asked to be defended by Maître Georges Rimondi. The case caused quite a stir in the press, due to Sydor's profile: a multi-recidivist killer, twice a murderer in the past.[3] Following this case, the case of Patrick Tissier, also a child killer and repeat offender, led to the adoption of a new law: the introduction of an incompressible life sentence.[6]
Trial and conviction[]
On June 14, 1995, Sydor went on trial before the Annecy Assize Court for the rape and murder of Jessica Blanc.
During the trial, Sydor remained calm and unaffected, debating certain points of the proceedings. He also accuses the justice system of having set him free in 1978, blaming her for Jessica's murder. The atmosphere is heavy, as the accused is a multi-recidivist killer, twice convicted of murder, although the image of serial killer is not used until 1997. During the hearing, Jessica's father loses control and throws a chair at Sydor, who continues to deny his involvement. The police intervene and manage to stop the incident. Although aged 66, the accused is judged to be extremely dangerous and easily capable of reoffending, despite his serious criminal record.
On June 15, Sydor was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a 30-year security period.[4] He was transferred to the Ensisheim prison.[7]
Maître Rimondi would later speak of a man of “extreme rudeness”, who “couldn't find his place in society”. Rimondi, who became a notorious defender in the Flactif case and the Allinges tragedy, admits that “this case and this man marked me for life”. “I defended the worst of criminals for the worst of crimes”, he admits, ‘but there had to be a court decision, a verdict, so that justice could be done in full ’.[8]
Release attempts and death in prison[]
In 2012, Sydor and his lawyer, Yüksel Demir, invoke the Kouchner law and request release on medical grounds. Jessica's family signs a petition for her continued detention. At 82, Sydor suffers from heart disease and urinary incontinence.[4]
On July 11, the Colmar court rejects Sydor's request for release. The experts considered that he remained dangerous and should remain behind bars. Sydor and Me Demir appeal against this decision.[9]
On December 11, 2012, the Court of Appeal again rejected his request for release, deeming that there was a high risk of recidivism despite his 83 years of age.[10]
Sydor died on November 1, 2014, at the Maison Centrale in Ensisheim, at the age of 85. Detained since July 1993, he would have been eligible for parole from July 2023.[11]
Victims[]
| Name | Age | Date of Death | Cause of Death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed prostitute | 1950 | ||
| Gilberte Boudry | December 22, 1961 | Bullet execution | |
| Jessica Blanc | 7 | July 25, 1993 | Strangulation |
Timeline[]
Bibliography[]
Literature[]
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In popular culture[]
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Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/si-la-justice-avait-fait-son-travail-notre-fille-serait-encore-la-04-03-2001-2001999061.php
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 https://www.google.fr/books/edition/L_%C3%89v%C3%A9nement_du_jeudi/TxcyAQAAIAAJ?hl=fr&gbpv=1&bsq=L_%C3%89v%C3%A9nement_du_jeudi+Michel+Sydor&dq=L_%C3%89v%C3%A9nement_du_jeudi+Michel+Sydor&printsec=fr
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.lexpress.fr/informations/crimes-sexuels-enquete-sur-les-recidivistes_605701.html
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 https://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2012/06/11/la-suspension-de-peine-de-sydor-en-delibere
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1993/07/29/en-bref-michel-sydor-avoue-le-meurtre-de-jessica_3946006_1819218.html
- ↑ https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000000546575
- ↑ https://www.lemessager.fr/649309081/article/2023-12-29/pays-desavoiele-crime-cruel-du-legionnaire-michel-sydor
- ↑ https://www.lemessager.fr/25558/article/2021-05-20/georges-rimondi-tenor-du-barreau-de-thonon
- ↑ https://www.liberation.fr/societe/2012/07/11/rejet-de-la-demande-de-remise-en-liberte-d-une-meurtrier-de-82-ans_832642/
- ↑ https://www.laradioplus.com/news/locales/47779/michel-sydor-restera-en-prison
- ↑ https://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2014/11/04/haute-savoie-le-meurtrier-de-la-petite-jessica-est-mort