Posted on 01/31/2005 9:25:33 PM PST by TexKat
A suspect, wearing a bulletproof vest with his head hidden under a jacket, is transferred from the Pau courthouse, Monday, Jan. 31, 2005 in Pau, southwestern France. Police have arrested a man believed to be a top suspect in the Dec. 18, 2004 grisly murders of two caregivers at a psychiatric hospital in southwestern France, authorities said Monday, Jan. 31, 2005. The man was not immediately identified. (AP Photo/Bob Edme) PAU, France -- Police have arrested a former psychiatric patient suspected in the deaths of two caregivers - one decapitated and the other with her throat slit - at a psychiatric hospital in southwest France, authorities said Monday.
The 22-year-old man was taken into custody in Pau on Saturday after firing a pistol at police during a routine identity check, police officials said.
Around daybreak on Dec. 18, a nurse at the Pau psychiatric hospital was found decapitated, with her head placed on a TV set, and the throat of her aide was slit.
Investigators turned up a sword and photos of decapitated women during a search of the suspect's home, regional state prosecutor Eric Maurel said, adding that it was "premature" to pin the blame on him.
"While there may be a lot of indications, let's not get carried away," he told reporters.
Maurel said investigators have not yet questioned the suspect about the killings, he said. No one was injured when he was taken into custody.
The man, identified only as Romain, turned up on a list of employees and patients - present and former - at the hospital.
The suspect, who has no criminal record, was placed under investigation - a step short of being charged - at a Pau courthouse Monday for attempted murder of a police officer, Maurel said.
A sample of the man's saliva matched genetic material found at the crime scene, police officials said.
Police hunting for the culprit arrested eight other people last month. All were released.
A suspect, wearing a bulletproof vest with his head hidden under a jacket, is transferred from the Pau courthouse, Monday, Jan. 31, 2005 in Pau, southwestern France. Police have arrested a man believed to be a top suspect in the Dec. 18, 2004 grisly murders of two caregivers at a psychiatric hospital in southwestern France, authorities said Monday, Jan. 31, 2005. The man was not immediately identified. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)
That looks like a TURD costume.
Well, it is France.
Hmmmn, looks like a burka over his head on the cheap, beheadings and slit throats, hmmmn.
Yeah, I know, premature.
Wow, that's kind of an amazing headline to come out of sleepy little Pau! My husband and I spent several months there a few years ago (he was working a temporary position), and it is a lovely but very quiet small city. It routinely wins regional awards for its beautiful landscaping (flowers everywhere! incredibly picturesque). Yet it seems fated to come in for a bit of scandal now and then ... the week before we got there, police uncovered a garage full of high explosives (being hoarded there by members of Eta, the Basque terrorist group). The police said it was enough to blow a city block sky high.
The people of Pau must still be in shock over this beheading. It's like something like that happening in Mayberry.
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