The husband of a woman found dismembered in a Paris park has been charged with murder.
A man who admitted to killing his wife, whose dismembered remains were discovered in a Paris park, was charged with wife murder on Saturday, according to his lawyer and prosecutors.
According to his lawyer, Dominique Beyreuther-Minkov, the man from Montreuil, just east of central Paris, denied wanting her dead.
The man, who has been detained by police since Thursday morning, reported his wife missing to police on February 3, according to his lawyer.
He has been posting on social media about her disappearance since January 31.
Last Monday, French news channel BFMTV reported that authorities were sceptical of anomalies in the husband’s statement.
On February 13, park workers discovered her lower torso and thighs in a plastic bag in the Buttes-Chaumont park in northeast Paris, a popular area for picnicking families and joggers.
The following day, more remains, including the woman’s head, were discovered and identified using fingerprints.
On February 17, police launched a murder investigation, tampering with a corpse, and concealing a corpse.
However, in light of the man’s remarks, authorities re-evaluated the case and believe the incident was not premeditated.
“My client, who is distraught, has humanly explained as much as he could,” Beyreuther-Minkov said, adding the couple were married for 26 years and had three children.
“All the family is in shock and a complete state of bewilderment,” Antoine Ory, lawyer for the victim’s family and children, told AFP.
According to interior ministry estimates, the number of femicides in France grew by 20% in 2021 compared to the previous year, with 122 women slain by a partner or former partner.
