Marcel Barbeault
Marcel Barbeault was an nice father of two and a good husband.
He was an ex-boxer and a veteran from Algeria War (1954-1962). He was also a
petty thief. From 1969 until 1976, this tall and strong man killed 8 young women
in Nogent-sur-Oise, a small town in north of France. All were brown haired. He
never admitted killing any of the girls. He was nicknamed the "Shadow
Killer" because all the murders happened at night, in paddle or twilight.
January 10 1969, a woman was wounded by a gunshot, at home, but survived.
January 14 1969, a young woman was shot in her stomach, in the morning. She
survived. January 23 1969 a woman was knock down, then killed with a 5,5 caliber
shot in her neck. November 16 1969, a woman and her teenage daughter were
attacked by a man wearing a mask. He trailed them outside, attached the mother
and shot her. The girl succeeded in escaping. She just saw the man's eyes :
"eyes like. those of a cat". And then. nothing. Nothing until February
6 1973, when a woman was knock-down, shot dead and surely fondled. During night,
May 28 to 29 1973, a young couple of lovers was shot dead with several bullets.
January 8 1974, a young woman was knock-down and shot dead with a 5,5 caliber in
her home. The killer took off all her underwear. November 25 1975, on the
street, a young woman was knocked down, shot dead with a 22 long rifle, and then
strip off. January 6 1976, a young woman was knocked down, stabbed in the chest
and then shot dead with a 22 long rifle. And the killer took her underwear
again.
December 1976, Marcel Barbeault was finally arrested, he was denounced by an
anonymous phone call. In his cellar, the police found the 22 long rifle which
killed the last two victims, several bullets from the 5,5 rifle, a bludgeon and
a dagger. Barbault said he had found all the items in a cemetery, and that he
was innocent, but since he was arrested, there's been no other murders. He's
been charged with 5 of the murders (the evidences were not conclusive in the 3
other murders), and was condemned to life in prison.
By Emily Tibbatts
Bibliography:
"Dossier
Meurtre n°28", Georges Morčas & Bill Waddell, ALP, 1991
Book : " L'affaire Marcel Barbeault ", Alain Hamon, J'ai Lu, 1999