In brief
As police delve into Dominique Pelicot's history, suspicions arise that his depraved actions began well before his marriage to Gisèle Pelicot.
In December, a French court sentenced Dominique Pelicot to 20 years in prison for drugging his wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and facilitating the brutal rapes she endured by countless men over nearly a decade, from 2011 to 2020. His conviction has appalled the nation, branding Pelicot as one of France's most notorious sexual criminals, while turning Gisèle into a symbol of resilience and hope for the feminist movement. However, investigations are suggesting that Gisèle might not be the only victim of Pelicot's heinous conduct. “She worries that her plight may just be scratching the surface,” remarked her lawyer, Antoine Camus. During his pre-trial detainment, police unearthed DNA evidence connecting Pelicot to an attempted rape of a 19-year-old girl in the Paris vicinity in 1999. After persistent interrogation, Pelicot admitted to his gruesome actions. Moreover, authorities are now investigating him regarding the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman dating back to 1991. While he denies these allegations, his indictment links both crimes due to alarming similarities. Both victims, young real estate agents active in the Paris area, suffered violent assaults, including the use of a blade, being restrained, and receiving drugged treatment with ether. Notably, each crime scene depicted a chilling detail: the victims' shoes found tidily arranged inside the rooms.As the inquiry deepens, many are left questioning how many more lives have been touched by Pelicot's reign of terror.
