THE LAPLACE-BARREYRE CASE: DID THE TWO FRIENDS KILL THEIR EXES? | Enquêtes criminelles | W9

The Amiens courthouse. On Monday November 14 2016, the courtroom is packed. It must be said that the case about to be tried is no ordinary one: in the dock are two women. Veronique Pierret, a 55-year-old nurse and Emilie Viseur, 28. Two friends who are accused of having together commissioned and organized the murder of their ex-partners.The case hit the headlines on March 15 2013 at 6pm when the lifeless body of Dominique Laplace, 49, is discovered at his home in Caumont in the Aisne. The autopsy reveals that the man was killed the previous evening by several stab wounds. Investigators soon turn to one Veronique, Dominique’s ex-wife because she had made a death threat against him a few weeks earlier. The cause of their dispute: valuable jewels that Dominique is said to have refused to hand over to her after their separation.Under questioning, Veronique admits that her relationship with the victim was horrendous, but she swears that she did not kill him. Plus, following a fall from a horse, she is handicapped and can only move with the help of crutches. In such circumstances, it’s hard to stab somebody! And the ex-wife also has an alibi: on the evening of the crime, she stayed at home. Also, her friend Emilie Viseur, accompanied by her boyfriend, Mallaury, confirm that they spent the evening with her. Is Veronique completely above suspicion as she claims? No, state the telephone records. That evening, the three sent endless SMS to each other…Strange for people who are supposed to be together. And then there’s another problem. One that’s much more worrying.The day after the murder of Dominique Laplace, another murder was committed in the region. The victim’s name is Jose Barreyre, a 47-year-old tattoo artist. Two murders in two days, less than 30 kilometers from each other. And they have a common factor: Emilie Viseur, Veronique’s friend. Because the incredible thing is: Jose Barreyre is none other than Emilie’s ex-partner.For investigators, this is too obvious to be a coincidence: these two cases are, in fact, one. They’re convinced of it: they have a criminal pact on their hands: Could the two women have decided to get rid of their respective exes? And could Mallaury, the man closest to the two women, have been the hit man?