A weapon found at the bottom of Lake Annecy is currently undergoing in-depth analysis. Investigators are trying to determine if it could be linked to the Chevaline massacre, the unsolved quadruple homicide committed in Haute-Savoie in September 2012. The Nanterre unit specializing in serial and unsolved crimes, which has been handling the case since 2022, has confirmed the opening of new investigations.
The pistol, described as a Luger, was reportedly discovered on August 20th by British tourists swimming in the lake. Certain technical aspects bear similarities to the weapon used in the massacre. However, at this stage, no formal match has been established, and further analysis will be needed to determine its exact model, its condition, and whether it was used.
A case that remains unsolved fourteen years later
On September 5, 2012, Saad al-Hilli, a 50-year-old British man of Iraqi origin, his wife, and his mother-in-law were found dead in their vehicle on a remote road near Chevaline. All three victims had been shot multiple times in the head. Sylvain Mollier, a 45-year-old cyclist who was also at the scene, was also killed.
Two girls who were in the car survived. The older girl, then 7 years old, was seriously injured, while her 4-year-old sister was found unharmed, hidden under her mother's legs. Despite numerous leads, interviews, and expert analyses, no perpetrator has been identified. The discovery of this weapon has therefore rekindled hope for progress, but its potential role in the case will have to be carefully determined through ballistic analysis.
