The parents of Jérôme Gaillard, indicted on March 21 for having murdered his wife Magali Blandin, admitted to having helped their son in his criminal project, AFP learned Thursday, October 14 from concordant sources.
Read also Magali Blandin case: her husband and stepmother heard by the investigating judge
The body of Magali Blandin, a 42-year-old specialist educator and mother of four children, was found more than a month after her disappearance, buried in a wood near Rennes. The couple were going through a divorce. Summoned on October 12 for a confrontation with their son which lasted nearly six hours, Monique and Jean Gaillard, 72 and 75, admitted to having been informed of the latter's criminal project before Christmas 2020, according to three sources familiar with the matter. According to these sources, Jérôme Gaillard had confessed to his parents to have mandated Georgian hired killers to execute his wife for a sum of 20,000 euros.
Monique Gaillard, who had already made statements in this direction at the beginning of September, declared having paid money to her son to help him financially, knowing that this sum could be used to carry out this criminal project.
Jérôme Gaillard explained for his part having used blackmail and psychological manipulation against his parents.
The latter, retired farmers with no criminal record, are indicted for attempted aiding and abetting spousal murder and aiding and abetting spousal murder.
They were remanded in custody.
Confirmation of the "
family conspiracy
"
Questioned by AFP, the public prosecutor of Rennes Philippe Astruc did not wish to comment on the confrontation "
except to recall
" that he had "
from the start mentioned a family plot
". According to the three sources interviewed by AFP, Jérôme Gaillard was aggressive towards his parents, whom he frightened. The latter would have acted under his influence, and for fear of losing a second child after the suicide of their eldest son ten years earlier, also in the process of divorce. "
They had long hoped that their son would never act on it, but they completely lost touch and no longer had the opportunity to bring him to his senses,
" said a source.
Read also Murder of Magali Blandin: her stepmother and her neighbor remain in prison
According to another source, the parents and children of the suspect were aware of the date of the act.
"
The father (of the suspect) was used as an alibi by going to his son's home to make it look like he was at home while he executed his wife,
" she said.
