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French authorities have taken a man into custody under suspicion of murder after the discovery of four male bodies in the River Seine near Paris, with concerns that the killings might be linked to homophobia.
A man, identified as a homeless individual in his 20s, faced a judicial court on Sunday, as reported by the Creteil prosecutor’s office.
He is under investigation for the murders of the four victims. Prosecutors are seeking charges and protective custody for the suspect.
The bodies were found on August 13th in Choisy-Le-Roi, a southeast suburb of Paris. A pedestrian alerted the police after spotting a body in the river, leading to the discovery of three more bodies close by, as per French media.
The site where the bodies were found is known for same-sex encounters, and the suspect had been frequently seen in the area, according to prosecutors.
Two victims, both aged 21, were from Algeria; one from Tunisia, aged 26; and one from France, 48 years old. The two Algerian and the Tunisian victims were homeless, with no apparent connection between the victims, according to the authorities.
French police are exploring the possibility of homophobic motives behind the murders, as reported by Le Monde.
Stop Homophobie, a campaigns group, has issued a call for witnesses, stating: “We must not overlook the evident homophobic aspect of this case”.
“It’s crucial to fully understand the motivations behind these crimes,” emphasized Etienne Deshoulières, the group’s lawyer in a statement released on Sunday. “Failing to do so, the justice system risks punishing the perpetrator without grasping the root causes of this violence.”
