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Henri Désiré Landru

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Henri Désiré Landru[n 1]
Landru photographed 17 April 1919
Born
Henri Désiré Landru

(1869-04-12)12 April 1869[8]
Paris, France
Died25 February 1922(1922-02-25) (aged 52)[9]
Versailles, France
Cause of deathExecution by guillotine
Resting placeCimetière des Gonards, Versailles (unmarked grave)
Other namesThe Bluebeard of Gambais;[4][5] The Lady Killer;[6] The Red Man of Gambais;[7] many pseudonyms, including "Monsieur Diard", "Dupont", "Georges Frémyet", "Lucien Guillet"
Occupation(s)Inventor, furniture dealer, fraudster
Spouse
Marie-Catherine Rémy
​
​
(m. 1893)​
Children4
ConvictionAssassination (11 counts) (30 November 1921)
Criminal penaltyDeath (30 November 1921)
Details
Victims11 confirmed (André Cuchet, 10 women); possibly more[1]
Span of crimes
January 1915 – 13 January 1919[2]
CountryFrance
Date apprehended
12 April 1919[3]

Henri Désiré Landru (12 April 1869[8] – 25 February 1922[9]) (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ʁi deziʁe lɑ̃dʁy]) was a French serial killer, nicknamed the Bluebeard of Gambais[4][5][10] and a prolific marriage fraudster. He is confirmed to have murdered at least ten women and the teenage son of his first victim, primarily targeting lonely war widows whom he met through newspaper advertisements, seduced, defrauded of their assets, and then killed, disposing of their bodies by burning them in his stove. He committed these crimes between December 1914 and January 1919, first at a house in Vernouillet and later at an isolated villa in Gambais, near Paris. The true number of Landru's victims remains unknown, as police traced correspondence with 283 women, 72 of whom were never found.[11] He is considered one of France's most famous and notorious murderers, whose investigation and trial became a media sensation in the aftermath of World War I.[12] His case served as the inspiration for Charlie Chaplin's film Monsieur Verdoux.[13]

Landru was arrested on 12 April 1919[3] at an apartment near Paris's Gare du Nord, which he shared with his 24-year-old mistress Fernande Segret. Police eventually concluded that Landru had met or been in romantic correspondence with 283 women during the First World War, meticulously categorized by their potential wealth; seventy-two were never traced.[11][14][15] In December 1919, Landru's wife Marie-Catherine, 51, and his eldest son Maurice, 25, were arrested on suspicion of complicity in Landru's thefts from his victims. Both denied any knowledge of Landru's criminal activities.[16] Marie-Catherine was released without charge in July 1920 for health reasons. Maurice was released on the same day because the authorities could not establish his guilt.[17]

Landru's trial in November 1921 at Versailles garnered immense public attention, attracting celebrities like Colette and Maurice Chevalier.[18] Despite maintaining his innocence and the lack of bodies, he was found guilty by a majority verdict of eleven murders on 30 November 1921, largely based on his meticulous notebooks and the circumstantial evidence.[19] He was executed by guillotine on 25 February 1922.[9]

Early life

[edit]

Henri Landru was born in Paris into a modest but respectable working-class family. His father, Julien Landru, was a furnace stoker and later a factory manager, and his mother, Flore Henriquel, worked from home as a seamstress. Both were devout Catholics.[14] Landru received his education at a Catholic school on the Île Saint-Louis, where he was described as a serious student, serving diligently as an altar boy and later as a sub-deacon. After graduating, he worked briefly in an architect's office.[14]

At age 20, while still performing his military service, he began a relationship with his cousin, Marie-Catherine Rémy. When she became pregnant, he married her in Paris on 7 October 1893 to take responsibility and legitimize their first child, Marie, who had been born two years earlier.[14][20] Landru had begun his obligatory four-year military service in 1889 in Saint-Quentin, eventually rising to deputy quartermaster. After completing his service in 1894, he returned to Paris. The couple went on to have three more children: Maurice (b. 1894), Suzanne (b. 1896), and Charles (b. 1900).[14]

During the 1890s, Marie-Catherine worked as a laundress, while Landru struggled to hold down steady employment, working variously as an accountant, furniture salesman, mapmaker, and assistant toymaker.[20] She later described him as a "model husband" in the early years, despite also telling police he was a "skirt chaser" from the outset.[21] Some accounts suggest his turn to crime began after an employer at an architectural firm where Landru and colleagues had pooled savings allegedly embezzled the funds and fled to America; Landru, wanting to recover his lost funds, supposedly turned to fraud.[22][23] Biographer Dennis Bardens disputed this, arguing Landru likely had few savings and may have defaulted on a loan from the employer instead.[23]

Criminal career

[edit]
Landru Police Mugshot 22 December 1909

Landru's descent into serious crime coincided with his ambition to become an inventor. In 1898, he designed a primitive motorbike, "The Landru," then defrauded investors for a non-existent factory. He pursued other unsuccessful ventures, including a plan for a suburban railway and an automated toy. Increasingly, he resorted to fraud, spending years on the run and seeing little of his family.

His first known conviction was for fraud on 21 July 1904, resulting in a two-year sentence served in Fresnes prison, after he was arrested following an attempted bank fraud and a suspicious, possibly feigned suicide attempt while in custody at La Santé Prison.[8] Dr. Charles Vallon, a prominent criminal psychiatrist who examined him then, concluded Landru was "on the frontiers of madness" but legally sane and responsible for his actions, though he warned Marie-Catherine about his potential danger.[24]

Between 1902 and 1914, Landru cycled in and out of prison for various minor frauds.[14] In 1909, he attempted to swindle a wealthy widow in Lille, posing as a single businessman. He persuaded her to hand over her savings (reported as 20,000 francs in one account[19]) but was caught trying to cash her investment certificates and sentenced to three years in Loos prison.[25] Some speculate this experience led him to realize that eliminating victims would prevent prosecution, as he allegedly learned the lesson "no body, no crime."[13] While he was imprisoned, his mother died in 1909.[23] In April 1912, shortly after Landru's release, his father, Julien, hanged himself from a tree in the Bois de Boulogne, apparently out of shame and despair over his son's criminal life.[23] Marie-Catherine later claimed Landru stole the 12,000 francs Julien had specifically left for her and the children.[26]

In the winter of 1913–14, Landru conducted his most successful pre-war fraud, collecting 35,600 francs from multiple investors for another fictitious automobile factory.[27] He fled with this money and much of his inheritance just before police arrived to arrest him in April 1914. In late July 1914, he was tried in absentia, convicted for his sixth time, and sentenced to four years' hard labour followed by lifelong deportation to New Caledonia. By using various aliases and constantly moving, Landru evaded this sentence and remained a fugitive as World War I began.[19]

Murders (1915–1919)

[edit]

The outbreak of World War I in August 1914 created a grim opportunity. With hundreds of thousands of Frenchmen mobilized or killed, newspapers filled with lonely hearts advertisements from war widows seeking companionship and security.[14] Landru, exempt from service due to his age and dependents (and possibly his fugitive status), realized the appeal a seemingly stable man would hold. He began placing his own ads in major newspapers like Le Journal, presenting himself as a respectable widower: "Widower with two children, aged 43, comfortable income, affectionate, serious, and moving in good society, desires to meet widow with a view to matrimony" or "Serious gentleman seeks widow aged 35 to 45, or woman unlucky in love."[14][8]

He received a flood of replies, often expressing hardship and loneliness. Landru meticulously cataloged these letters in notebooks, prioritizing correspondents based on perceived wealth. He used categories such as "Returns reply poste restante," "No money," "No reply," "Returns reply poste restante with initials," "Probably has assets," "Reserve, further investigation required," discarding those deemed "propertyless." He focused on seemingly naive women with assets, gathering further information before initiating contact.[14][15][3]

Murders at Vernouillet

[edit]

In December 1914, Landru rented the Villa Ermitage in Vernouillet, 35 km northwest of Paris. This became the site of his first confirmed murders.[28]

Jeanne and André Cuchet (late January or early February 1915)

[edit]

Jeanne-Marie Cuchet[n 2] (39[29]), an attractive Parisian lingerie seamstress widowed in 1909,[22][30] had met Landru before the war, likely in 1914. He used the alias "Raymond Diard," claiming to be a postal inspector or industrialist from Lille displaced by the war.[14] He charmed Jeanne, promising marriage and a secure future for her and her illegitimate son, André (then 16 or 17[n 3]), even offering to secure André a government job.[14] Jeanne's sister and brother-in-law distrusted "Diard," sensing he was a fraud, but Jeanne dismissed their concerns.[3]

After Landru disappeared briefly at the war's outbreak, a distraught Jeanne, accompanied by André and her brother-in-law, visited Landru's empty house near Chantilly. There, they found papers revealing his real identity (including marriage and criminal records).[31][29][32] Despite this, and arguments over his reluctance to marry,[3][29] Jeanne reconciled with Landru when he reappeared. She severed ties with her warning family[29] and, in December 1914, moved with André into Landru's rented villa in Vernouillet.[14][28] André, meanwhile, was eagerly anticipating his early military recruitment.[30]

Jeanne and André were last seen alive around 26 January 1915.[19][33] Shortly after, neighbours reported thick, acrid smoke smelling of burning flesh billowing from Landru's chimney. Investigating police accepted Landru's explanation that he was burning rubbish.[19][3] It is almost certain he murdered and incinerated them in his stove.[19] Landru had deposited 5,000 francs (claimed as inheritance) in June 1914, which police suspected came from Jeanne.[29]

Thérèse Laborde-Line (26 June 1915)

[edit]

Thérèse Laborde-Line[n 4] (46[34]), an Argentine-born divorced widow and former hotelier, felt estranged from her son and daughter-in-law.[29][35] She met Landru in June 1915, likely through his May 1 advertisement or one she placed herself. On June 21, telling friends she was moving to her "future husband's house," she sold her furniture.[29] She was seen gardening at the Vernouillet villa but disappeared after June 26, 1915.[3][2] Landru subsequently sold her securities and stored some remaining furniture in his garage.[29]

Marie-Angélique Guillin (c. 3 August 1915)

[edit]

Marie-Angélique Guillin (51[29]), a retired housekeeper living near Gare de Lyon,[29] inherited 22,000 francs and responded to Landru's May 1, 1915 ad.[29] Believing his story of being the next Consul-General to Australia needing a hostess wife, she visited his villa and returned apparently overjoyed.[29] On August 2, she moved from her apartment to Vernouillet. She vanished two days later, around August 3.[2] Landru sold her securities and, posing as her brother-in-law authorized to act for her due to paralysis, withdrew 12,000 francs from her bank account.[29] Starting in August, a trunk was left abandoned at a local train station. Months later, in February 1916, station staff noticed a foul odor; the trunk contained the badly decomposed, dismembered remains of an unidentified middle-aged woman.[3]

Victims associated with Vernouillet
  • Jeanne Cuchet
    Jeanne Cuchet
  • André Cuchet
    André Cuchet
  • Thérèse Laborde-Line
    Thérèse Laborde-Line
  • Marie-Angélique Guillin
    Marie-Angélique Guillin

Murders at Gambais

[edit]
Villa Tric ("L'Ermitage") in Gambais

By late 1915, neighbours in Vernouillet were suspicious. Feeling exposed, Landru sought greater seclusion. In December 1915, he rented the isolated Villa Tric, nicknamed "L'Ermitage" ('The Hermitage'),[36] in the village of Gambais, south of Paris.[28] Situated 300 metres from the nearest house, it offered privacy.[29] Upon moving in, Landru promptly purchased a large kitchen oven[n 5] and a large quantity of coal.Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 143

Berthe Héon (December 1915 or January 1916)

[edit]

Berthe-Anna Héon (55[n 6]), a widow originally from Le Havre working as a cleaner near Paris, had endured significant personal losses, including her husband, lover, son in the war, and daughter.[35] She responded to Landru's second lonely hearts ad in summer 1915.[3] Landru, posing as a businessman seeking a wife for a move to Tunisia,[37] convinced her to sell her belongings.[3] On December 8, 1915, Landru purchased train tickets to Gambais: a return for himself, a single for her. Héon vanished soon after, presumed killed and incinerated in the new oven.[3][29][2] Landru later sent postcards to her friends, claiming to write on her behalf as she couldn't.[29]

Anna Collomb (27 December 1916)

[edit]

Anna Collomb[n 7] (44[n 8]), an intelligent, attractive widow working as an insurance company typist, had 10,000 francs saved.[38] She had a partner but seemingly couldn't marry him.[38] She answered Landru's May 1, 1915 ad (claiming to be 29[30]), perhaps seeking a stepfather for her illegitimate young daughter reportedly placed with nuns in Italy (the child was never found).[38][30] Landru delayed meeting her until 1916 due to involvement with other victims.[38] Once they met, Collomb quickly preferred Landru to her existing partner.[3] Her family distrusted Landru but couldn't deter her.[38][3] Collomb's sister visited the couple at Gambais on December 14. Anna Collomb disappeared after December 27, 1916.[28][38][2]

Andrée Babelay (12 April 1917)

[edit]

Andrée-Anna Babelay[n 9] (19[39]), described as pretty but poor, worked as a domestic servant or nanny, possibly supplementing her income with casual prostitution.[39][14] Landru encountered her crying on a Paris Métro platform in early 1917 after she ran away from home following a quarrel with her mother.[39] He invited her to his rented room near Gare du Nord, where they lived for ten days. On March 11, she visited her mother, announcing she was getting married. On March 29, Landru took her to Gambais (again, return ticket for him, single for her). She stayed for two weeks, seen learning to ride a bicycle by a game warden.[40] Babelay disappeared after April 12, 1917.[2][28][39] Prosecutors suggested she was killed either because she witnessed something incriminating or because Landru, initially attracted by her youth, simply tired of her.[39]

Célestine Buisson (c. 1 September 1917)

[edit]

Célestine Buisson[n 10] (47, though reported as 44 in one source[41]), a homely, trusting, semi-literate, and reportedly frugal widowed housekeeper,[41] had around 10,000 francs saved from her late husband's hotel business.[41][42] Lonely after her illegitimate son was mobilized, she answered Landru's May 1, 1915 advertisement.[8] Landru (as "Georges Frémyet") corresponded sympathetically, became "engaged" quickly, but then stalled the marriage for over two years, blaming lost documents and fabricated business trips abroad.[39] He reappeared in July 1917. They grew closer after he assisted with her sister's funeral, and he proposed again.[n 11][39][43] Her family found "Frémyet" evasive and suspicious but couldn't sway Célestine.[42] Entrusting her son to her half-sister, Marie Lacoste,[8] Buisson moved to Paris with Landru. On August 19, Landru bought the familiar one return, one single ticket pattern for Gambais.[39] She disappeared after September 1, 1917.[28][2] Landru's bank balance soon increased by 1,000 francs.[39][43] He later returned to her apartment, showed the concierge a forged authorization letter, claimed Buisson was running a canteen for US troops in the south, and aggressively removed and sold her furniture.[15][43]

Louise Jaume (c. 26 November 1917)

[edit]
Louise Léopoldine Jaume

Louise-Joséphine Jaume[n 12] (38[35]), a devout Catholic dress shop assistant, was recently divorced.[35] She met Landru (as "Lucien Guillet", a supposed refugee from the Ardennes) through a marriage bureau in summer 1917. She initially resisted his advances due to her faith[34] but eventually accepted his proposal after attending Mass with him at Sacré-Cœur. Landru took her to Gambais on November 15, 1917, with a single ticket.[44] She disappeared around November 24 or 26, 1917.[28][2] Landru stole her 275 francs and withdrew 1,400 francs from her bank account on November 30.[44]

Anne-Marie Pascal (5 April 1918)

[edit]

Anne-Marie ('Annette') Pascal[n 13] (36), also divorced,[44][35] worked as a dressmaker near Père Lachaise Cemetery and possibly engaged in prostitution.[35] Nicknamed "Mme Sombrero" for her hats, she sought a "sugar daddy" and responded to Landru's ad in La Presse in September 1916.[45] She became his mistress. Uniquely, she expressed fear of Landru, writing to her aunt days before disappearing: "I don't know who he is, but I'm scared. When he looks at me with those eyes, it chills me. There's something demonic about him."[36] On April 5, 1918, Landru took her to Gambais (single ticket); she vanished.[44][2] Landru and his son Charles later sold her furniture.[44]

Marie-Thérèse Marchadier (13 January 1919)

[edit]

Marie-Thérèse Marchadier[n 14] (37, though reported as 36 in one source[35]), originally from Bordeaux, ran a small boarding house on Rue Saint-Jacques, Paris, and engaged in prostitution. She was known for walking her two beloved Belgian Griffon dogs.[46] Heavily indebted, she contacted Landru (under an alias) in late 1918, possibly after seeing an ad offering to buy furniture, or perhaps having met him years earlier.[44][46] Landru, needing cash himself, borrowed from his wife to potentially buy Marchadier's property. He proposed marriage; she replied her only wish was to live in the country.[44] He took her to Gambais on January 9, 1919. Despite her strong will, she agreed to cohabit and sell her furniture, receiving 2,000 francs after returning briefly to Paris.[44] On January 13, 1919, Landru escorted her back to Gambais, reportedly carrying two bags of coal.[44] She disappeared that day.[28][2] On January 16, neighbours reported nauseatingly foul smoke pouring from the villa's chimney.[3]

Victims associated with Gambais
  • Berthe Héon
    Berthe Héon
  • Anna Collomb
    Anna Collomb
  • Andrée Babelay
    Andrée Babelay
  • Célestine Buisson
    Célestine Buisson
  • Louise Jaume
    Louise Jaume
  • Anne-Marie Pascal
    Anne-Marie Pascal
  • Marie-Thérèse Marchadier
    Marie-Thérèse Marchadier

Pursuit and arrest

[edit]

The key to Landru's downfall was the persistence of the victims' families, particularly Marie Lacoste (sister of Célestine Buisson) and Victorine Pellat (sister of Anna Collomb). After receiving no reply to letters sent to Buisson at Gambais regarding her blinded son, Lacoste contacted the mayor of Gambais in January 1919.[47] The mayor, initially unhelpful, eventually put her in touch with Pellat, who had made similar inquiries about Anna Collomb earlier.[47][38] The two women compared notes, realized the man described (using aliases like "Frémyet" and "Dupont") was the same person, and filed missing persons reports with the prosecutor for Seine-et-Oise.[30][48]

Their complaints eventually reached Inspector Jules Belin of the Paris brigade mobile. While Belin later took credit,[49] the crucial break came on 11 April 1919. Lacoste's friend, Laure Bonhoure, who had previously seen Landru, recognized him shopping on the Rue de Rivoli with a young woman (Fernande Segret).[50][19][47] Bonhoure alerted Lacoste, who phoned Belin. The inspector obtained the business card Landru (using the alias "Lucien Guillet") had left at the shop, revealing his address: 76 Rue de Rochechouart, near Gare du Nord.[36][49]

After obtaining the correct warrant, Belin and two officers arrested Landru at his apartment around midday on 12 April 1919.[3][51] As he was led away, Landru reportedly sang an aria from Massenet's opera Manon to Fernande Segret.[19]

Investigation (April 1919 – November 1921)

[edit]
Landru's villa in Gambais in 1919.

Landru remained defiant throughout interrogations, refusing to confirm his identity initially and repeatedly protesting his innocence.[52][53] He admitted to being Landru and using aliases because he was a wanted fugitive but insisted this didn't make him a murderer: "Just because I am Landru doesn't prove I am a murderer."[52] When questioned about the women's whereabouts, he famously retorted, "That's my affair. You do your job, I'll do mine," and invoked his right to silence: "That is my secret. French law recognizes the right to remain silent."[54][52]

Police searches uncovered overwhelming evidence of fraud: victims' clothing, furniture stored in garages, and crucial documents including identity papers (birth and marriage certificates) and bank details for Collomb and Buisson.[52] Most damning was Landru's black notebook (carnet) containing detailed financial accounts, records of meetings with 283 women contacted through ads and agencies, and the list of the eleven presumed victims (10 women and André Cuchet).[54][19] This notebook became the primary evidence against him. Many women in the notebook were located alive, confirming Landru's pattern of seduction and fraud; the fact that 283 women were listed became something of a running gag in France.[55][19]

The search at the Gambais villa on 29 April 1919 yielded the only potential physical evidence of murder: 4.176 kg of calcined bone debris, including 295 human bone fragments, 47 small human teeth or fragments, plus scraps of cloth and buttons, found in ashes under a shed and inside the kitchen oven.[7][56] Forensic analysis by Dr. Charles Paul determined the fragments came from at least three skeletons but couldn't confirm their sex (no pelvic bones found) or link them definitively to the known missing women.[57][56] The lack of bodies remained a major hurdle for the prosecution.[47] Landru openly mocked the police during the searches, turning up frequently and making the process a public spectacle.[7] Excavations of the garden only unearthed the skeletons of two dogs, which Landru claimed belonged to Marchadier and he had killed and buried at her request.[58]

The investigation also revealed the complicity of Landru's family. His youngest son, Charles, acted as his "apprentice," helping move victims' furniture and admitting to assisting with unspecified "gardening work" at Vernouillet around the time the Cuchets disappeared.[59] His eldest son, Maurice, was caught with Jeanne Cuchet's jewellery given by Landru[60] and later helped create a cover story for Anna Collomb's disappearance.[61] Landru's wife, Marie-Catherine, lived under his alias "Frémyet" and admitted forging signatures for Célestine Buisson and Louise Jaume to access their bank accounts, though she denied knowing why.[62][63] Although Maurice and Marie-Catherine were arrested in December 1919, they were released in July 1920 without charge, likely because proving their knowledge of the murders (beyond the thefts) would be difficult for a jury.[56] Charles was never arrested.

Trial (7 – 30 November 1921)

[edit]
Landru and his lawyer, Vincent de Moro Giafferri, photographed during the trial

Landru's trial opened on 7 November 1921 at the Assize Court in Versailles.[64] The event was a major public spectacle, fueled by intense press coverage possibly encouraged by the government to distract from the ongoing Paris Peace Conference.[54][55]

Daily trainloads of spectators arrived from Paris on what became dubbed the "Landru Special."[64] The courtroom overflowed with attendees (sometimes double its capacity), including celebrities like Mistinguett, Maurice Chevalier, Sacha Guitry, Rudyard Kipling, and the novelist Colette. Landru himself contributed to the circus atmosphere with his calm demeanor, witty retorts, theatrical politeness (like offering his seat to a lady), and constant denial of the murder charges, while implicitly acknowledging the frauds.[18][7][64] He became a bizarre popular figure, receiving fan mail, gifts (sweets, tobacco), and marriage proposals. In the 1919 election, nearly 4,000 voters wrote his name on their ballots.[18]

Despite the public conviction of his guilt, the prosecution, led by Robert Godefroy, lacked definitive proof. The bone fragments were circumstantial.[18] Key testimony included Jeanne Cuchet's sister stating Jeanne would never abandon prized possessions found with Landru;[65] neighbours describing the horrific smell from his chimney; and witnesses claiming they saw him dispose of items in a pond where decomposed flesh was later allegedly found.[54] Landru, believing no bodies meant no conviction, remained evasive.[54] His former mistress Fernande Segret also testified, adding to the drama.[54]

Landru's renowned defence lawyer, Vincent de Moro-Giafferi, privately thought Landru guilty and possibly insane but aimed to save him from the guillotine by focusing on the lack of conclusive evidence for murder.[66] He proposed the jury convict only on fraud, which would likely mean exile and death in French Guiana.[66] Moro skillfully attacked the police investigation's inconsistencies and the forensic evidence's ambiguity, even suggesting the bone fragments could have been planted.[67] He posited an alternative, albeit lurid, theory that Landru ran a "white slave" ring, sending the women abroad.[68] In a dramatic moment, Moro announced victims had been found and would enter the court; as spectators turned to the door, he argued their reaction proved their own doubt about the murders, highlighting the lack of corpses. The prosecutor reportedly retorted that Landru himself hadn't turned.[69]

Despite Moro's efforts and skilled oratory,[54] the jury, after three hours of deliberation on 30 November 1921, found Landru guilty of all eleven murders by a 9-3 majority.[7][64] They unanimously convicted him on most theft charges. Moro persuaded the jurors to sign a petition for clemency, but Landru initially refused, stating, "The tribunal has made a mistake. I have never killed anyone. This is my final protest."[70]

Execution and aftermath

[edit]
Severed head presented as Henri Landru's.
Landru's oven was an exhibit at his trial
Landru's sketch of the oven

Landru eventually signed the clemency appeal, but it was rejected by President Alexandre Millerand. On 25 February 1922, shortly before dawn, he was executed by guillotine outside the gates of the Prison Saint-Pierre in Versailles. He declined alcohol and refused last rites and a final confession, telling the priest to save his own soul.[71][9] His final request was reportedly for a glass of rum and water, though another account mentions a foot bath.[72] The execution itself took less than 30 seconds, witnessed by officials and journalists, including Webb Miller, whose graphic account earned him a Pulitzer nomination.[73][65] The guillotine used was nicknamed "The Widow," prompting dark jokes that she was the only widow Landru failed to charm.[65] His body was buried in the Cimetière des Gonards, later moved to an unmarked grave when the lease expired.[74]

Landru's notoriety persisted. His Gambais house briefly became a morbidly themed restaurant.[75] His possessions were auctioned in 1923; the infamous oven was sold to an Italian bidder for 40,000 lire after a Dutch bidder defaulted on a 42,000 franc bid, though plans to exhibit it were blocked, and it vanished into private collection.[76][75]

In 1963, a purported confession emerged, allegedly written by Landru on the back of a sketch of the oven he gave his lawyer. It reportedly read: "I did it. I burned their bodies in my kitchen oven,"[77] or variations like "The witnesses are all idiots. It wasn't behind the wall that things happened, but inside the house [oven] that something burned."[78][12]

British murderer John Haigh, who used acid to dispose of victims in the 1940s, is sometimes said to have been inspired by Landru.[19] Further possible remains linked to Landru surfaced decades later: a female skeleton under a floor in Saint-Denis in 1933, and partial skeletons found at Gambais in 1958, speculated to be the Cuchets'.[3]

A preserved head, claimed to be Landru's, is displayed at the Museum of Death in Hollywood, California.[79][80]

Personality and motives

[edit]

Landru presented a paradox: physically unremarkable (short, balding, stout, with a distinctive pointed beard), yet possessing an undeniable charm, sophistication, and air of respectability that attracted many women.[5] His age and slightly paternal demeanor might have appealed to vulnerable war widows seeking security in uncertain times.[81]

He maintained a strict separation between his criminal activities and his family life. To his wife and four children, he appeared a conventional, albeit often absent, paterfamilias, described as thoughtful and considerate, providing gifts (bought with stolen funds) and financial support, though never revealing the illicit source.[36]

His conduct during the investigation and trial cemented his public image. He remained calm, polite, witty, and unflappable, consistently denying the murders while implicitly admitting the frauds. His courtroom quips and theatrical gestures turned the proceedings into public entertainment.[18][7] He became a subject of jokes, songs, cartoons (one famously playing on the double meaning of foyer - home/hearth and furnace/stove[81]), and morbid fascination, earning nicknames like "Bluebeard," "The Lady Killer," and "The Red Man of Gambais."[7]

Notable quotes

[edit]

Landru's cynicism and evasiveness were evident in his recorded statements:[9][18]

  • On his notebook: "The police gentlemen would have been more pleased if it had included on the first page, 'I, the undersigned, confess to having killed the ten women named herein.'"[82]
  • On the disappearances: "Is there anyone who goes missing who doesn't fall under suspicion of murder?"[82]
  • When pressed: "That's my secret. French law recognizes the right to remain silent."[71]
  • To sanity experts: "By acknowledging that I am normal, you have, so to speak, proven my innocence."[83]
  • During trial: "Believe me, please, I didn't even know how to light the oven."[84] / "Women don't count their age from birth, but from their confirmation."[71]
  • After conviction, to his lawyer: "If I had gotten off, it would have been thanks to you."[82] / "I've asked you to handle quite a troublesome, or rather, desperate defense. But this isn't the first time an innocent man has been punished... Of course, Counselor, I am innocent."[85]
  • To the priest before execution: "Worry about saving your own soul rather than mine."[71]
  • Final words when asked to confess: "To ask such a question at this point is extremely rude."[86]

Financial motivation

[edit]

Overwhelming evidence points to greed as Landru's primary motive. His meticulous categorization of potential victims by wealth,[14][15][3] his habit of buying single train tickets for victims while purchasing return tickets for himself to save minuscule amounts,[19] and his detailed accounting of even the smallest expenses (like bus fares) alongside the assets acquired from his victims all underscore his extreme avarice.[36][52]

Historical context

[edit]

The backdrop of World War I was crucial to Landru's success. The immense loss of life created a large pool of lonely, vulnerable widows desperate for security and companionship.[5][14] Landru, presenting himself as a respectable man spared from the front, exploited this societal vulnerability. Many women, facing uncertain futures alone and potentially lacking experience in managing finances or making major decisions without male relatives, were susceptible to his charms and promises of stability.[8]

Furthermore, wartime conditions strained police resources, diverting manpower to tracking deserters and managing wartime exigencies, hindering investigations into missing persons like Jeanne Cuchet, likely allowing Landru to continue his crimes undetected for longer.[36] The trial's occurrence shortly after the war's devastating conclusion also provided the French public with a sensational, albeit grim, distraction from national trauma and the difficult political climate surrounding the peace negotiations.[36]

In fiction

[edit]
  • Charlie Chaplin's dark comedy Monsieur Verdoux (1947) is the most famous work inspired by Landru. Chaplin adapted an Orson Welles script, portraying a man who turns to murdering wealthy women to support his family after losing his job.[13][87]
  • Claude Chabrol directed the French film Landru (1963), scripted by Françoise Sagan. It presented a blackly comedic version of the case, focusing on the later murders and portraying them as more glamorous.[12][88] Landru's former mistress, Fernande Segret, successfully sued for filmmakers for misrepresentation and won damages. The renewed public attention reportedly contributed to her suicide in 1968; her suicide note allegedly read, "I still love him, but I cannot bear this suffering. I have decided to take my own life."[12][89]
  • H. P. Lovecraft's story The Horror in the Museum (written with Hazel Heald) features a lifelike wax figure of Landru in a private museum of horrors.
  • Landru appears as one of the murderous wax figures brought to life in the 1963 The Twilight Zone episode "The New Exhibit", portrayed by Milton Parsons.[90]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Japanese transliterations include Anri Dejire Randoryu,Monesutie 1991, pp. 99–100 and Anri Dejire Randorū.Faidō 1997, p. 148
  2. ^ Also spelled Jeanne KoushetSairyakkusu 1996, pp. 662–664 or Jeanne Couchet.Rēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198
  3. ^ Sources vary on André's age, stating 16Shōshin Shobō 1997, p. 2833 or 17.Monesutie 1991, pp. 99–100
  4. ^ Also spelled Thérèse Laporte-LineRēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198 or Laporte-Line.Sairyakkusu 1996, pp. 662–663
  5. ^ Some Japanese sources refer to the appliance as a "stove" (ストーブ).Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 143
  6. ^ Sources vary, stating 54Rēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198 or 55.Shōshin Shobō 1997, p. 2833
  7. ^ Also spelled Ana CollombRēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198 or Ana Collombe.Sairyakkusu 1996, pp. 662–664
  8. ^ Sources vary, stating 44Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2812–2815 or 45.Monesutie 1991, pp. 99–100
  9. ^ Also spelled Andrée Bablay.Rēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198
  10. ^ Also spelled Célestine BuissonRēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198 or Buisson.Monesutie 1991, pp. 99–100Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 145
  11. ^ One theory suggests the delay was due to Buisson's reserved nature.Monesutie 1991, pp. 99–100
  12. ^ Also spelled Louise Joumet.Rēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198
  13. ^ Also spelled Ann Marie Pascal.Rēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198
  14. ^ Also spelled Marchandier.Monesutie 1991, pp. 99–100

References

[edit]
  1. ^ van der Made, Jan (29 November 2018). "New evidence shines light on France's most notorious serial killer". Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rēn & Gureggu 1995, p. 198.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2830–2835.
  4. ^ a b Hocks, Stephan (1998). "Jenseits des Gerichtsalltags: "Große Prozesse" in der Geschichte". Rechtshistorisches Journal (in German) (17): 128–138. ISSN 0723-1180.
  5. ^ a b c d Rēn & Gureggu 1995, pp. 197–199.
  6. ^ Gōte & Ōderu 1986, pp. 157–159.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Sairyakkusu 1996, p. 664.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Rēn 1996, pp. 58–59.
  9. ^ a b c d e Rēn 1996, pp. 62–63.
  10. ^ Gaudin, F. W. (1921–1922). "The Trial of Landru". Loyola Law Journal (New Orleans). 3: 26.
  11. ^ a b 'Liste des femmes ayant été en correspondance ou en relations avec Landru', Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 30, Dossier Général.
  12. ^ a b c d Shōshin Shobō 1997, p. 2843.
  13. ^ a b c Hanzai Shinri Kenkyūjo Hen 2013, pp. 14–15.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Monesutie 1991, p. 99.
  15. ^ a b c d Faidō 1997, p. 148.
  16. ^ Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Philadelphia: Pen & Sword. p. 226. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  17. ^ "Mise en liberté de Mme Landru et de son fils". Le Gaulois. 13 July 1920.
  18. ^ a b c d e f Monesutie 1991, pp. 102–103.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Sairyakkusu 1996, pp. 662–664.
  20. ^ a b "La confession de Mme Landru". Le Journal. 21 May 1919.
  21. ^ Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Philadelphia: Pen & Sword. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  22. ^ a b Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, pp. 142–143.
  23. ^ a b c d Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2816–2817.
  24. ^ "L'affaire Landru". Le Gaulois. 22 August 1919.
  25. ^ Affaire Landru, Réquisitoire Définitif, 3. Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U772.
  26. ^ 'Audition de Mme Landru', 7 May 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 30, Dossier Général.
  27. ^ Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Barnsley: Pen & Sword. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h Shōshin Shobō 1997, p. 2831.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 143.
  30. ^ a b c d e Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2812–2815.
  31. ^ Statement of Mme Jeanne Hardy, Gouvieux, 1 August 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2659
  32. ^ 'Disparition de Mme Cuchet et de son fils', Georges Friedman interview, 16 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
  33. ^ Jeanne Cuchet letter to Mme Morin, 4 January 1915, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2760
  34. ^ a b Monesutie 1991, pp. 99–100.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g Shōshin Shobō 1997, p. 2833.
  36. ^ a b c d e f g Monesutie 1991, pp. 100–101.
  37. ^ "Petites annonces: Mariages". Le Journal. 12 June 1915.
  38. ^ a b c d e f g Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, pp. 144–145.
  39. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 145.
  40. ^ 'Audition d'Émilien Lecoq', 23 January 1920, Yvelines Archives, Carton 1373W2 856
  41. ^ a b c Shōshin Shobō 1997, p. 2814.
  42. ^ a b Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2813–2814.
  43. ^ a b c Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2826–2827.
  44. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 146.
  45. ^ Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Philadelphia: Pen & Sword. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  46. ^ a b Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Philadelphia: Pen & Sword. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  47. ^ a b c d Rēn 1996, pp. 60–62.
  48. ^ 'Audition de Marie Lacoste', 12 April 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U771/4695
  49. ^ a b Report by Inspector Belin, 12 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Affaire Landru, Dossier Général.
  50. ^ Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Philadelphia: Pen & Sword. pp. 110–112. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  51. ^ 'Rapport de l'Inspecteur Deslogères', 4 June 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U771/5125
  52. ^ a b c d e Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2818–2819.
  53. ^ "Landru, interrogé, ergote, se contredit, n'explique rien". Le Petit Parisien. 28 April 1919.
  54. ^ a b c d e f g Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 147.
  55. ^ a b Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2819–2820.
  56. ^ a b c Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Philadelphia: Pen & Sword. pp. 118–119. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  57. ^ "Dans le jardin de Landru". Le Populaire. 25 November 1921.
  58. ^ Sairyakkusu 1996, pp. 663–664.
  59. ^ 'Déclaration de Landru, Charles, dit Frémyet, Charles, 14 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet
  60. ^ 'Commission Rogatoire', 18 October 1915, Pontoise, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
  61. ^ Maurice Landru interview, 27 July 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2270/3317, Dossier Collomb.
  62. ^ 'Audition de Mme Landru', 10 January 1920, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/3249, Dossier Buisson.
  63. ^ 'Audition de Mme Landru', 10 January 1920, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/3249, Dossier Buisson.
  64. ^ a b c d Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2838–2840.
  65. ^ a b c Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2840–2842.
  66. ^ a b Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Philadelphia: Pen & Sword. pp. 106, 124. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  67. ^ "Maître de Moro Giafferri commence une émouvante plaidoirie". Le Matin. 30 November 1921.
  68. ^ "Landru est condamné à mort". Le Journal. 1 December 1921.
  69. ^ Alain Decaux : Les Assassins
  70. ^ "Landru est condamné à mort". Le Petit Journal. 1 December 1921.
  71. ^ a b c d Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 148.
  72. ^ "Did game-show referee cheat?". Deseret News. 25 September 1997. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  73. ^ JOHN EBY (3 May 2007). "SMC museum lands Miller memorabilia". The Dowagiac News. Leader Publications. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  74. ^ "La tombe de Landru". Le Matin. 1 November 1927.
  75. ^ a b Tomlinson, Richard (2018). Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer. Yorkshire and Philadelphia: Pen & Sword. pp. 126–127. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6.
  76. ^ Monesutie 1991, pp. 98–103.
  77. ^ Sairyakkusu 1996, p. 664
  78. ^ Monesutie 1991, p. 103.
  79. ^ Wade, Pamela (29 October 2023). "This dark Hollywood museum leaves people feeling glad to be alive". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  80. ^ "The Museum of Death". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  81. ^ a b Shōshin Shobō 1997, pp. 2828–2829.
  82. ^ a b c Rēn 1996, p. 62.
  83. ^ Gōte & Ōderu 1986, p. 159.
  84. ^ Monesutie 1991, p. 98.
  85. ^ Monesutie 1991, p. 101.
  86. ^ Rēn 1996, p. 63.
  87. ^ Wiruson & Pittoman 1963, p. 149 (Translator Ōba Tadao's note)
  88. ^ Landru (1963 film). Landru at IMDb. The Japanese title was Aohige (Bluebeard); released on VHS only, not theatrically in Japan.
  89. ^ Rēn 1996, pp. 64–65.
  90. ^ Brahm, John (4 April 1963), The New Exhibit (Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller), Martin Balsam, Will Kuluva, Margaret Field, William Mims, Cayuga Productions, CBS Television Network, retrieved 15 January 2021

Bibliography

[edit]

English

[edit]
  • Bardens, Dennis, The Ladykiller: The Crimes of Landru, the French Bluebeard, P. Davies, London, 1972.
  • Le Queux, William, Landru: His Secret Love Affairs, Stanley Paul & Co., London, 1922.
  • Mackenzie, F.A. (editor), Landru, Geoffrey Bles, London, 1928.
  • Tomlinson, Richard, Landru's Secret: The Deadly Seductions of France's Lonely Hearts Serial Killer, Pen & Sword, Yorkshire and Philadelphia, 2018. ISBN 978-1-52671-529-6
  • Wakefield, Herbert Russell, Landru, The French Bluebeard, Duckworth, London, 1936.

French

[edit]
  • Belin, J., Commissaire Belin. Trente Ans de Sûreté Nationale, Bibliothèque FranceSoir, Paris, 1950.
  • Béraud, Henri, Bourcier, Emmanuel & Salmon, André, L'Affaire Landru, Albin Michel, Paris, 1924.
  • Bernède, Arthur, Landru, Jules Tallandier, Paris, 1931.
  • Biagi-Chai, Francesca, Le cas Landru à la lumière de la psychoanalyse, Imago, Paris, 2007.
  • Darmon, Pierre, Landru, Plon, Paris, 1994.
  • J.H.H. Gaujot; Robin Odell (30 June 1986) [1980]. Les Grands Criminels [Murderers' Who's Who / 殺人紳士録] (in French). Translated by Kawaii Shūji. Éditions Denoël (French ed.) / Yayoi Shobō (Japanese ed.).
  • González, Christian, Monsieur Landru, Scènes de Crimes, Paris, 2007.
  • Jaeger, Gérard, Landru: bourreau des cœurs, L'Archipel, Paris, 2005.
  • Lanzalavi, Dominique, Vincent de Moro Giafferri: Défendre l'homme, toujours, Ajaccio, Albiana, 2011.
  • Masson, René, Landru, le Barbe-Bleue de Gambais, N'Avouez Jamais, Paris, 1974.
  • Michal, Bernard, Les Monstres, Bibliomnibus, Paris, 2014.
  • Alain Monestier (1 April 1991) [1988]. Les Grandes Affaires Criminelles [World Criminals / 世界犯罪者列伝 悪のスーパースターたち] (in French). Translated by Takahashi Kei. Bordas (French ed.) / JICC Shuppankyoku (Japanese ed.). ISBN 978-4-7966-0097-2.
  • Sagnier, Christine, L'Affaire Landru, Editions de Vecchi, Paris, 1999.
  • Yung, Eric, Landru: 6h 10 Temps Clair, Editions Télémaque, Paris, 2013.

Japanese

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  • Martin Fido (25 February 1997) [1993-10-28]. Imai Kesaharu (ed.). Sekai Hanzai Kuronikuru [The Chronicle of Crime / 世界犯罪クロニクル]. World Mook. World Photo Press. ISBN 978-4-8465-2095-3.
  • Hanzai Shinri Kenkyūjo, ed. (1 May 2013). Rekishi-teki Daihanzaisha ga Nokoshita Kyōki no Kotoba 96 [96 Mad Words Left by Great Historical Criminals]. DIA Collection. Daiapuresu. ISBN 978-4-86214-699-1.
  • Imidas Jōhō Chishiki 1996 [Imidas Information & Knowledge 1996]. Shueisha. 1 January 1996. ISBN 978-4-08-100010-4.
  • Nihon Rōdō Kenkyū Kikō Kenkyūjo, ed. (30 March 2001). Ajia ni okeru kōsei rōdō kijun [Fair Labor Standards in Asia]. Chōsa Kenkyū Hōkokusho. Nihon Rōdō Kenkyū Kikō. p. 88. ISBN 978-4-538-89141-5. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2019.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Brian Lane; Wilfred Gregg (1 June 1995) [1979]. Renzoku Satsujin Shinshiroku [The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers / 連続殺人紳士録]. Translated by Hashimoto Megumi. Chūō Āto Shuppansha. ISBN 978-4-88639-713-3.
  • Brian Lane (25 July 1996) [1991-04-18]. Shitai Shori Hō [The Body Snatchers / 死体処理法]. Translated by Tateishi Mitsuko. Futami Shobō. ISBN 978-4-576-96072-2.
  • "Gendai no 'Aohige'" [The Modern 'Bluebeard']. Shūkan Mādā Kēsubukku [Weekly Murder Casebook]. 3 (16). Shōshin Shobō. 22 April 1997. ‹See Tfd›ASIN B008NHTAJE.
  • Colin Wilson; Patricia Pitman (15 June 1963) [1961]. Satsujin Hyakka [Encyclopedia of Murder / 殺人百科]. Translated by Ōba Tadao. Yayoi Shobō.
[edit]
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