THE TROUILLET CASE: THE FRIEND THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE TRUSTED | Enquêtes criminelles | W9

It’s past one in the morning of September 20 2006 when the fire-fighters of Berck in the Pas-de-Calais get a call from a resident in the middle of town. The man, who lives in an attractive, public apartment block, is in panic as he explains that smoke is coming from his neighbour’s dwelling. When they get there, the fire-fighters discover that the fire in fact conceals a horrific crime scene. Two lifeless bodes are found in the apartment: those of Valérie Trouillet, 39, a medical secretary, and her daughter Harmony, 17, a high-school student. The autopsy will reveal that they died in particularly horrible circumstances. Who, then, could have had evil intentions against the teen and her mother? At first, the theory is one of a jilted lover. A few days previously, Harmony had broken up with her boyfriend. The young man, who is rapidly cleared, points investigators towards one Stéphane Graux. The man, in a relationship and a father, knows Harmony and her mother well. The teenage girl babysits his little boy. And recently, he was a frequent visitor to Valérie, who was spending the days at home because of a health issue. What exactly was the nature of Stéphane Graux’s relationship with Harmony and Valérie? Could he be their killer? As they enquire into suspect N^o 1, investigators will discover the profile of a man very different from that of a good father. Stéphane Graux actually appears to be a dangerous man, particularly violent against women…