A man has been placed under formal investigation and released under judicial supervision following the suspicious death of his wife in Châteaugiron, in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany, according to the Rennes public prosecutor’s office.
The suspect, who has not been named, faces preliminary charges of failing to assist a person in danger and habitual violence against a spouse. He has also been barred from entering the commune where the couple lived.
Husband Cleaned Room Before Reporting Death
Gendarmes were called on Thursday to investigate the suspicious death of a woman in her sixties at her home in Châteaugiron. Her husband had notified the woman’s sister, who in turn alerted the authorities.
Investigators quickly identified suspicious behaviour. According to the Rennes public prosecutor’s office, the husband “found his wife dead at 6 a.m., cleaned his wife’s bedroom and the bathroom facilities, then emptied all the belongings present in the room.” He then contacted the deceased’s sister and the family doctor to come and certify the death.
Autopsy Reveals No Third-Party Involvement
During his custody hearing, the man stated that he had left for work at 6 a.m. the previous day while his wife was still alive. He claimed he had not seen her that evening because she had remained in her bedroom, and that he discovered her body the following morning at 6 a.m.
Initial observations revealed traces of blood at the residence despite the cleaning that had been carried out. The victim had filed a report of mistreatment earlier this year.
A magistrate from the Rennes public prosecutor’s office attended the scene and initially opened an investigation for conjugal homicide and tampering with a crime scene. The husband was taken into custody and an autopsy was ordered.
However, the autopsy did not identify any lesions that could have been inflicted by a third party. Preliminary findings point towards death by haemorrhage, without the husband providing assistance to his wife.
Cause of Death Remains Unknown
The exact causes of death remain unknown pending further analyses, the Rennes public prosecutor’s office said. A judicial investigation was opened on Saturday for failing to assist a person in danger and habitual violence against a spouse.
