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wife of serial killer 'ogre of the ardennes' convicted for her part in murders

the 75-year-old was accused of serving herself up as ba...

by denette wilford

dec 22 2023
read time 2 minute read
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the widow of a notorious french serial killer was found guilty in the decades-old rapes and murders of two women and the disappearance of a nine-year-old girl.

monique olivier, who was married to murderer michel fourniret — known as the “ogre of the ardennes” — and aided him in his twisted endeavours, was convicted on tuesday and was sentenced to life in prison that same day, the bbc reported.

the 75-year-old was accused of serving herself up as bait to help her late husband kidnap, hide and murder 20-year-old british student joanna parrish in 1990 and 18-year-old marie-angele domece, who vanished from auxerre in 1988, according to the broadcaster.
parrish’s naked body was found in the yonne river in central france.
she had been beaten, drugged and raped, according to authorities.
olivier was also convicted of her part in the 2003 kidnapping, sequestration and murder of young estelle mouzin, whose remains, like domece’s, have not been found.

olivier told the court how she sat in the front seat of the couple’s car when fourniret went into the back to kill and rape parrish in may 1990, cbs news reported.

“like a coward, i do nothing, i hear her scream a little but i don’t intervene,” she testified, telling the court her husband used her as “bait.”

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“it’s fear, panic, [i am] unable to do anything at all.”
olivier described herself as “the dog” in fourniret’s “hunts,” saying, “i was never anything but the dog that must obey.”
olivier has been serving a life sentence handed down in 2008, for her role in four other kidnappings and murders by her husband.
in 2018, she was sentenced to another 20 years for her part in another slaying.
after her latest sentencing, parrish’s father, roger parrish, held a moment of silence for all of fourniret’s victims, according to the bbc.
“we’ve waited a long time,” he said.
fourniret was convicted of murdering eight girls and young women between 1987 and 2001.

he confessed to 11 slayings but authorities believe he could have killed more than 20 other victims, france 24 reported.

fourniret died in prison in 2021 at the age of 79, before he could be tried for the murders of parrish, domece and mouzin.
denette wilford
denette wilford

denette wilford is a multimedia journalist at the toronto sun. she began her career at tv guide canada before going freelance for more than a decade, writing for huffington post, food network, etalk, hgtv, 24 hours toronto, and raptors, leafs and toronto fc magazines until landing at the sun, where aside from writing anything and everything, she also brings you your midday sun newsletter every weekday.

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