©Unknown

Monique Olivier

The court has been trying to uncover the true personality of Monique Olivier. Was she another victim, under the thumb of Fourniret or was she his accomplice?

The three main witnesses gave conflicting evidence.

Her brother, Michel Olivier, appeared indifferent to her fate and was more concerned that he wouldn't be shown on television.

He remembered a happy childhood but claimed he couldn't keep track of Monique's "vie mouvementée" as they grew older. He described her as having a sturdy character, not someone you could push around.

Her ex partner, André Michaux, on the other hand, spoke of a somewhat bewildered person - rather withdrawn. He had used her as a model for some of his paintings but most of them had been destroyed in the fire caused by Fourniret as part of the her revenge.

Monique had accused him of humiliating and torturing her but he denied doing anything to her.

"Vous n'etes qu'une menteuse, une infabulatrice. Je vous ai sauvée de plusieurs merdier. De celui-ci, je ne peux pas."

("You're nothing but a liar and story teller. I've saved you from several sticky situations but I can't get you out of this one.")

He went on to describe how he was aware of being hunted and of having three attempts on his life.

"People thought I was mad. They even made me see a psychiatrist".

At this point Fourniret fixed him with an evil glare.

Michaux accused him of being a coward because he attacked little girls openly but only dared go after a man behind his back.

The rest of his evidence didn't go well for Monique. He told how he had brought up their two sons alone, sometimes having to sleep in the car for lack of money: how he had even taken in Selim, the son she had with Fourniret.

The third witness was her eldest son, Murphy, a young man of 28. He may have seemed relaxed from his appearance wearing bermuda shorts and sandals but he came over as confused and nervous when he had to speak.

He couldn't bring himself to refer to Fourniret by name. He called him "Cet individu", "ce personnage" or even "cette chose" (that thing). As a young child he hated him because everyone had to do what he said and they were so nervous they would jump at the slightest noise.

When they asked him why he thought his mother stayed with Fourniret he said he didn't know. He claimed she was always in a nervous state and must have felt trapped.

They asked about his father, André Michaux. The young man replied that he had always done his best for the boys, given them a good education and never been violent.

When the Fournirets were imprisoned it was Murphy who went to fetch his half brother, Selim, and André had no problems welcoming him under his roof.

André's one big question was "Comment se fait-il qu'une femme puisse amener ses enfants aupres d'un tuer multirecidiviste?"

(How can it be that a woman could let her own children near a serial killer?)