Serial Killer from the Land of Lovers-Part 1

Blue Beard: Serial Killer from the Land of Lovers - Part 1

   This is an extraordinary story of imitation, swindling, seduction and multiple murders form the land of lovers-France. He was known as “Blue Beard” because of his distinctive beard. He was supposed to have made love to 283 women and was charged for killing at least 10 (ten) of them. This killer, Henri Desire Landru, was known as by different names to his beloved and once boasted that no woman could spurn his amorous advances. France is reputed to be a country where love is a major occupation of its people, but has no tradition of killing beloveds. But, Henri Desire Landru was a lover cast in different moulds. He killed women after depriving them of their money and worldly possessions. 

   The French police was perplexed by the disappearance of many women. One Mrs. Pelat had reported about the disappearance of her sister Anna Colomb who went to live with Monsieur Cruchet at Gambas. Another woman, Mrs. Lacoste, was enquiring about her sister Mrs. Celestine Buisson who also vanished into thin air after visiting Villa Ermitage Gambais, to see M. Fremyet. The Mayor of Gambais made enquiries and found that the above villa was occupied by a M. Dupont. Meanwhile, the French police were also investigating another disappearance, that of a genuine Mrs. Cruchet and her son Andre who had gone to live with one M. Diard in his house at Vernouillet in December, 1914. From the clues provided, the police was satisfied that Cruchet, Fremyet, Dupont and Diard were one and the same person and issued a warrant on April 10, 1919, for the arrest of the individual whose identity tallied with these persons. 

   It was sheer coincidence that Mrs. Lacoste happened to see that manwhom she knew as M. Dupont walking along Rud de Rivoli. He had a smart woman on his arm and they both entered a shop. Mrs. Lacoste followed them inside the shop.the man ordered a dinner set to be sent to his residence. Mrs. Lacoste followed them but soon lost their track due to crowds that jostled around her. She went to the nearest police-station and made her report. The police went to the shop and found that the dinner set had been ordered by m. Lucien Guillet, an engineer living at 76, Rue de Rochechouart.

   On April 11, 1919, the police raided the flat at 76, Rue de Rochechouart and arrested Henri Desire Landru. He protested that he was Lucien Guillet born at Rocroi. He denied involvement in any murder. On searching him, the police found a black note-book from him which he tried to throw away from a window. In this note-book, the police found the names of all the women who had disappeared after coming in contact with him. At first, searches at Villa Ermitage and the house at Vernouillet did not yield anything of importance. Later, a stove was discovered in which Henri Desire Landru burned the bodies of his victims after cutting them up. Afterwards, 295 bone fragments of human bodies were also found together with many items of women’s clothing, buttons and other things used by women.




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