French authorities are considering a reenactment of the 2012 Alps massacre involving the two sisters who survived the incident, now aged 18 and 21. The aim is to potentially jog their memories and gather new details about the day their family was killed.
Marie-Celine Lawrysz, a prosecutor for the Nanterre cold case unit, told French outlet RTL that such reenactments, conducted with specialized methods for traumatized victims, can yield crucial information. However, a date has not been set, pending the sisters' consent and securing funding for the trip.
This development follows the recent discovery of a rare Luger PO6/29 pistol at the bottom of Lake Annecy. Fragments of a similar weapon were found at the crime scene in 2012, leading investigators to believe it was the murder weapon.
Police divers recovered the handgun, described as a Swiss Army sidearm, from the lake in late August. Forensic analysis will attempt to determine if this is the firearm used in the quadruple murder, despite the challenges posed by its time submerged in water. Experts will compare the recovered pistol with the original fragments.
The Luger was issued to Swiss soldiers between 1909 and 1947 and was manufactured in either Switzerland or Germany. Investigations have narrowed the possible production date to 1935, a year when only 940 such pistols were made.
Saad Al-Hilli, a 50-year-year-old satellite engineer from Surrey, his wife Iqbal, 47, her mother Suhaila, 74, and local cyclist Sylvain Mollier, 45, were killed in the attack on a remote mountain road near Lake Annecy. The Al-Hilli's two daughters, Zainab, then seven, and Zeena, then four, survived. Zainab sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder and head injuries, while Zeena was unharmed.
The investigation has faced numerous challenges, including the accidental contamination of evidence with DNA from a forensics officer and the early reopening of the crime scene to the public. Speculation regarding motives has ranged from Al-Hilli's work in the satellite industry to family inheritance disputes.
Earlier theories pointed to a mysterious "camper," an alleged Danish national, who reportedly stayed at a campsite near the massacre site and the scene of another tourist murder a year prior, where a similar Swiss weapon was also used. However, the identity and booking details of this individual remain unconfirmed.
French magistrate Sabine Khéris had previously described the killer as likely being "methodical and calm" and possessing "shoot to kill" training, noting the use of "double taps" on the victims.
Advancements in forensic technology may allow for the recovery of DNA from the submerged weapon, and its serial number could provide further historical leads. Experts will also re-examine the original gun fragments collected from the crime scene.
