Cédric Jubillar's appeal trial will not take place in September. Originally scheduled for September 21 to October 16, 2026, in Toulouse, the hearing has been postponed to the first quarter of 2027. The decision was announced on Tuesday, July 21, by the Toulouse Court of Appeal, after the latest developments which turned the case upside down.
The September calendar officially abandoned
The court believes the new investigations cannot be completed before autumn. The various parties also need sufficient time to review the findings, request any additional expert opinions, and prepare their arguments. "Given the time required to complete the remaining steps, to ensure the smooth conduct of the investigation and to respect the principle of adversarial proceedings, [it was decided] to order the postponement of the hearing which was initially scheduled to take place from September 21, 2026."The Court of Appeal's statement specifies that no exact date has yet been set. The second trial must now be held during the first three months of 2027.
Cédric Jubillar's confession changed the case
This postponement comes after Cédric Jubillar's complete about-face. On July 6, his new lawyers announced that he now admitted to causing his wife's death. In a handwritten letter, he also indicated his willingness to reveal the circumstances of the events and guide investigators to the location where he had left the body. This admission came after more than five years of denials. Since Delphine Jubillar's disappearance on the night of December 15-16, 2020, in Cagnac-les-Mines, Cédric Jubillar had consistently maintained that he did not know what had happened to his wife.
Delphine's body was found in a field
The information provided by Cédric Jubillar led the police to a plot of farmland in Mailhoc, about ten kilometers from the couple's home. Bones were discovered there on July 16, including two femurs. DNA analysis confirmed on July 19 that they were indeed the remains of Delphine Jubillar. The discovery of the body opens a new phase of the investigation. Experts will examine the young woman's remains to search for evidence that will clarify the cause and circumstances of her death. Cédric Jubillar's statements will also be compared with the forensic findings, phone records, and all the evidence gathered since December 2020.
Further checks before the second trial
These investigations are intended to determine whether the testimony now given by Cédric Jubillar corresponds to the facts. The magistrates may order further hearings, expert analyses, or reconstructions. The civil parties and the defense must then have access to this evidence and be able to discuss it before the start of the hearing. Holding the trial as early as September had become difficult to envision. A few days after the confession, the justice system had already indicated that these revelations constituted new evidence likely to justify further investigations.
Sentenced to 30 years imprisonment in the first instance
As a reminder, Cédric Jubillar was found guilty of murdering his wife on October 17, 2025, by the Tarn Assize Court, after a four-week trial in Albi. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. His lawyers immediately announced their intention to appeal.
The first trial took place without Delphine's body being found and while the accused continued to deny any responsibility. The upcoming trial will now be based on a significantly revised case file, including his confession, the location of the body, the results of the forensic analyses, and the investigations carried out since his new statements.
Cédric Jubillar remains in custody pending his appeal trial. He will therefore be retried before the Haute-Garonne Assize Court in early 2027.
