Two men have been detained in connection with the death of social media influencer Sonia Bellina, whose burned body was discovered in a vineyard in southern France, a local prosecutor confirmed Wednesday.
The body found in the Saint-Gilles vineyard was identified as Bellina, a 29-year-old TikTok personality with approximately 260,000 followers. She was reportedly visiting family in the area shortly before her death, which occurred about a month before her 30th birthday.
The two men were taken into police custody based on evidence suggesting their involvement in the incident. Authorities initiated a murder investigation after a farmer discovered the body among rows of vines near Nîmes on August 12. The identity of the victim was not immediately confirmed, with initial assessments indicating it was a young woman, pending further tests and DNA analysis.
Nîmes prosecutor Cécile Gensac confirmed Bellina's identity in a recent update, acknowledging that her name had been widely circulated in the preceding days. Prior to the official confirmation, relatives and the family's lawyer had expressed certainty that the body was Bellina's.
Family lawyer Mourad Battikh described Bellina's body as having been "abandoned" and "almost thrown away like garbage," characterizing the act as "a murder of rare savagery." He further stated that the family is undergoing an "extremely violent ordeal" and has requested privacy, vowing to pursue any necessary action against online comments and rumors.
The circumstances surrounding Bellina's death and the discovery of her body have fueled speculation online. A woman identifying herself as Bellina's sister had shared her conviction that the body was her sister's before the official confirmation, detailing the family's distress and the harassment they have faced, including some comments suggesting Bellina "deserved what happened to her."