Read Online Women Serial Killers of the 20th Century by Sylvia Perrini - Free Book Online
Authors: Sylvia Perrini
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Blanche became ill with nausea and convulsions and died on December 27th, 1941. Touissaint and Blanche had made Marie their sole beneficiary. The Davaillaud’s family, the Besnard’s family, and friends were dropping like flies.
Although Marie and Léon Besnard had experienced an unusual number of deaths amongst their family and friends in such a short time frame, few people in the town suspected anything. It was simply considered bad luck. This began to change when an elderly, wealthy cousin of Marie’s, Pauline Bodineau at the age of 88, who was living with Marie and Léon, died on July 1st, 1945. Marie claimed Pauline had mistakenly eaten a dish of lye (caustic soda) thinking it was a desert. Talk and suspicion in Loudon began. On July 9th, 1945, another elderly, wealthy cousin of Marie’s, Virginie Lalleron at the age of 83, who was also living in the house died in an identical manner to Pauline. Now the town’s suspicions became highly aroused. Marie was the only beneficiary of both of the cousins. Despite the suspicions of friends and neighbors as ‘something being not quite right’, nothing was done, and no criminal inquiry took place.
Marie-Louise, Marie's mother , died on January 16 th of 1946 and left her entire estate to Marie. Marie and Léon were now exceedingly wealthy. They owned an inn, a cafe, six houses, as well as several stud farms.
Then Marie discovered that her husband was conducting an affair with Louise Pintou, the local Postmaster. In retaliation, she began an affair with a German man, a handsome ex-prisoner of war. However, Marie was not going to let Léon get off that lightly with his infidelity and she saw as his betrayal.
Léon confided in Louise Pintou that he thought Marie would attempt to poison him. He asked Louise to insist on an autopsy if he died . Louise promised she would. Léon Besnard died at home on October 25th of 1947, apparently of kidney failure.
Louise Pintou kept her word and sent a letter to the local public prosecutor telling him of Léon’s fears and suspicions. She also discussed the matter with her customers at the town’s post office. Marie was in control of all the money, which was a great deal, and felt powerful. When she heard the town chatter, she went door-to-door threatening the gossips with their lives. Louise Pintou had her house broken into, and every present Léon had given to Louise was destroyed or stolen. Two close friends of Louise’s, who had also contacted the public prosecutor, were forced to leave the town in fear of their lives after arsonists had burned down their homes.
The local prosecutor was by now receiving so many complaints about Marie, he passed the case on to an investigating magistrate. Léon’s body was ordered to be exhumed. It was exhumed on the 11th of May in 1949. The pathologist reported that Léon’s body showed that significant amounts of arsenic had been ingested.
Marie was arrested for the suspected murder of Léon and held in the local jail while the investigation continued. Here Marie, incarcerated as she was, attempted damage control. However, three informers reported Marie to the police saying that Marie had tried to hire them to “get rid” of Louise Pintou and her friends, the Massip brothers.
The investigative magistrate ordered twelve more bodies to be exhumed: these were Pierre Eugène Davaillaud, Marie-Louise Davaillaud, Léon’s parents, Auguste Antigny, Lucie Bestard, Toussaint Rivet, Blanche Rivet, Pauline Bodineau, Virginie Lalleron, and Léon’s two great aunts.
Auguste Antigny ’s body contained 6 mg arsenic.
Léon Besnard's body contained 19.45 mg of arsenic.
Marie-Louise Besnard’s, née Gouin’s (68-years-old), body contained 60mg of arsenic.
Lucie Bodin ’s, née Besnard’s, body contained 30 mg of arsenic.
Pierre Eugène Davaillaud’s body contained 36 mg of arsenic.
Monsieur Toussaint Rivet’s body contained 18 mg of arsenic.
Madame Blanche Rivet’s body contained 30 mg of
Although Marie and Léon Besnard had experienced an unusual number of deaths amongst their family and friends in such a short time frame, few people in the town suspected anything. It was simply considered bad luck. This began to change when an elderly, wealthy cousin of Marie’s, Pauline Bodineau at the age of 88, who was living with Marie and Léon, died on July 1st, 1945. Marie claimed Pauline had mistakenly eaten a dish of lye (caustic soda) thinking it was a desert. Talk and suspicion in Loudon began. On July 9th, 1945, another elderly, wealthy cousin of Marie’s, Virginie Lalleron at the age of 83, who was also living in the house died in an identical manner to Pauline. Now the town’s suspicions became highly aroused. Marie was the only beneficiary of both of the cousins. Despite the suspicions of friends and neighbors as ‘something being not quite right’, nothing was done, and no criminal inquiry took place.
Marie-Louise, Marie's mother , died on January 16 th of 1946 and left her entire estate to Marie. Marie and Léon were now exceedingly wealthy. They owned an inn, a cafe, six houses, as well as several stud farms.
Then Marie discovered that her husband was conducting an affair with Louise Pintou, the local Postmaster. In retaliation, she began an affair with a German man, a handsome ex-prisoner of war. However, Marie was not going to let Léon get off that lightly with his infidelity and she saw as his betrayal.
Léon confided in Louise Pintou that he thought Marie would attempt to poison him. He asked Louise to insist on an autopsy if he died . Louise promised she would. Léon Besnard died at home on October 25th of 1947, apparently of kidney failure.
Louise Pintou kept her word and sent a letter to the local public prosecutor telling him of Léon’s fears and suspicions. She also discussed the matter with her customers at the town’s post office. Marie was in control of all the money, which was a great deal, and felt powerful. When she heard the town chatter, she went door-to-door threatening the gossips with their lives. Louise Pintou had her house broken into, and every present Léon had given to Louise was destroyed or stolen. Two close friends of Louise’s, who had also contacted the public prosecutor, were forced to leave the town in fear of their lives after arsonists had burned down their homes.
The local prosecutor was by now receiving so many complaints about Marie, he passed the case on to an investigating magistrate. Léon’s body was ordered to be exhumed. It was exhumed on the 11th of May in 1949. The pathologist reported that Léon’s body showed that significant amounts of arsenic had been ingested.
Marie was arrested for the suspected murder of Léon and held in the local jail while the investigation continued. Here Marie, incarcerated as she was, attempted damage control. However, three informers reported Marie to the police saying that Marie had tried to hire them to “get rid” of Louise Pintou and her friends, the Massip brothers.
The investigative magistrate ordered twelve more bodies to be exhumed: these were Pierre Eugène Davaillaud, Marie-Louise Davaillaud, Léon’s parents, Auguste Antigny, Lucie Bestard, Toussaint Rivet, Blanche Rivet, Pauline Bodineau, Virginie Lalleron, and Léon’s two great aunts.
Auguste Antigny ’s body contained 6 mg arsenic.
Léon Besnard's body contained 19.45 mg of arsenic.
Marie-Louise Besnard’s, née Gouin’s (68-years-old), body contained 60mg of arsenic.
Lucie Bodin ’s, née Besnard’s, body contained 30 mg of arsenic.
Pierre Eugène Davaillaud’s body contained 36 mg of arsenic.
Monsieur Toussaint Rivet’s body contained 18 mg of arsenic.
Madame Blanche Rivet’s body contained 30 mg of
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