A high-profile murder trial opened this week in Albi, southern France, drawing nationwide attention for its central mystery: where is the victim’s body?
Cédric Jubillar, a 38-year-old painter-decorator, stands accused of killing his wife Delphine nearly five years ago. The 33-year-old night nurse vanished in December 2020, and despite extensive searches, her body has never been found.
The prosecution argues that Jubillar killed Delphine in a jealous rage, motivated by her new relationship and plans for divorce. Investigators found circumstantial evidence: broken glasses, a neighbor’s report of a scream, and testimonies from acquaintances who claimed Jubillar confessed.
Yet there are glaring gaps. No body, no blood, no eyewitnesses, and no confession. Jubillar, detained since 2021, has always denied the charges, insisting he is being painted as the “ideal culprit” without proof.
The case has become a national obsession, spreading across social media where self-styled sleuths exchange theories and alleged evidence. Psychoanalyst Patrick Avrane likened the frenzy to “a bistro counter with more people,” where speculation often overwhelms facts.
The disappearance occurred during France’s Covid lockdown. Jubillar reported his wife missing in the early hours of December 16, 2020. At the time, the couple’s two children, aged six and 18 months, were asleep in the house.
Investigators searched the countryside around Cagnac-les-Mines, even exploring abandoned mineshafts, but with no success. Friends describe Delphine as preparing to start a new life, while her husband, a habitual cannabis user, struggled to keep steady work.
The trial will scrutinize Jubillar’s behavior. Witnesses are expected to testify about his threats towards Delphine and his apparent lack of urgency following her disappearance. His demeanor that morning—greeting police in panda pyjamas before playing Game of Thrones on his phone—has only fueled public intrigue.
Prosecutors will also present testimony from a former cellmate and ex-girlfriend, both claiming Jubillar admitted to the crime. However, defense lawyers argue their accounts are unreliable and stress the absence of physical evidence.
With 65 witnesses, 11 experts, and more than 16,000 pages of evidence, the trial is expected to last four weeks. At stake is not only the fate of Cédric Jubillar, but also the resolution of one of France’s most confounding modern mysteries.
Writer Thibault de Montaigu compared the affair to a Georges Simenon novel, asking whether Jubillar was a criminal mastermind, a lucky fool, or simply an innocent man caught in suspicion.
For now, France watches closely, awaiting whether the court can unravel a case that has become equal parts tragedy, speculation, and psychological puzzle.
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