Investigation Launched in Laval to Locate Missing Individual Sophie Chéenne (1996) as Previous Leads are Followed Up
Investigators Re-Open the 25-Year-Old Disappearance Case of Sophie Chéenne
After two decades in the dark, the cold case of Sophie Chéenne, who vanished in 1996, has been reignited as authorities dig in the basement of her Laval apartment, reported "ici Mayenne" (formerly France Bleu). The excavations commenced early Monday, May 5th, in search of answers. Meanwhile, the Fourniret lead remains a plausible theory.
On May 2nd, 1996, Sophie, a 20-year-old, mysteriously disappeared a mere ten days before her 21st birthday. She shared her apartment on Quai Albert-Goupil in Laval with her then-boyfriend. Following an argument, Sophie left her home, and her partner remained silent for four days before alerting her parents.
The Fourniret connection resurfaced in 2005, when Sophie's name appeared on a list of potential victims of the notorious couple. Monique Olivier, a figure with family ties in Nantes, passed through Mayenne, a department that might have been on the Fourniret couple's itinerary. Twelve years later, in 2017, investigators obtained Martial's DNA, with his mother's DNA collected in 2022. Martial filed a complaint to reopen the case shortly after, as reported by "ici Mayenne". In 2024, Martial approached Corinne Herrmann, a lawyer known for advocating for families and victims of unsolved crimes, who is also working on eleven "cold case" investigations.
According to Herrmann, the Fourniret lead is plausible. "We have crucial points regarding the movements of Michel Fourniret and Monique Olivier in France. Nantes was one of them, and they perpetrated crimes there", she explained to "ici Mayenne" in 2024. Herrmann also notes the parallels between Natacha Danais' case, an adolescent from Rezé near Nantes who was kidnapped and murdered by Michel Fourniret in 1990.
With the serial killer now deceased, Herrmann proposes investigating further leads, like analyzing seals and examining Fourniret's van for genetic fingerprints. "It's still possible to explore this lead, for instance, by verifying if Sophie's genetic fingerprint appears on seals or in Fourniret's van or by interrogating Monique Olivier. There are still avenues to pursue", she added.
In January, "ici Mayenne" revealed a new director had been appointed to the investigation. This Laval-based gendarme leads a team that has been granted free rein to conduct all necessary investigations, armed with a general commission rogatory.
- The reopened case of Sophis Chenene's 25-year-old disappearance has led investigators to dig in the basement of her Laval apartment, as reported by "ici Mayenne".
- The Fourniret theory, which emerged in 2005, remains a plausible explanation for Sophie Chenee's disappearance, sparking ongoing investigations.
- As investigators in 2024 examined Martin's DNA, they uncovered potential links between the Fournirets and the disappearance of Sophie Chenee, causing a stir in the realm of crime and justice.
- In the face of the complex Fourniret lead, Corinne Herrmann, a renowned lawyer advocating for families and victims of unsolved crimes, calls for continued investigation, hoping to uncover new evidence and bring justice for Sophie Chenee.
