Dad ‘shot dead sons and gran in murder-suicide’ and texted spouse ‘what you deserve’
A father is suspected of killing his two sons, aged six and 10, and their 74-year-old grandmother in a shotgun murder-suicide, allegedly filming it and sending his estranged wife
Gendarmes secure a perimeter outside a residence following the discovery of the bodies of four members of the same family, including two children in Gy(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
A dad is suspected of shooting dead his two young sons and their grandmother, his mother-in-law, in a horrific murder-suicide.
He also allegedly filmed the scene and sent it to his estranged wife with the following chilling message: “This is what you deserve.”
The horror unfolded on Wednesday evening (September 2), on a plot of land surrounded by a dry-stone wall between vineyards and woodland on the hills above Gy, a village of around 1,000 people some 30km north of Besançon, France. The family had reportedly been living in a bungalow parked on the land next to their home, which was under construction.
Gendarmes secure a perimeter outside the residence (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
When emergency crews arrived at around 8pm, they are said to have found the bodies of a man and a woman inside the bungalow, while the two boys – aged six and 10 – were discovered in a utility vehicle parked outside. “The two children and the 42-year-old man are believed to have been killed using a hunting rifle,” a magistrate said, as an investigation was opened for murder.
Prosecutor Arnaud Grécourt said the suspected weapon was a “12-gauge side-by-side hunting shotgun”, France 3 reported. Pending autopsies on all four bodies, the prosecutor added: “The working hypothesis at this stage of the investigation is that the father, who was in the process of separating, killed the other three people before turning the weapon on himself.”
The 74-year-old woman was identified as the mother of the man’s wife. The children’s mother was not at the scene.
The bodies were found in the evening of September 2, 2026(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
According to a man who spoke to AFP near the property and identified himself as the father’s cousin, the killings happened as the grandmother came to pick up the children. “He filmed the scene and sent it to his wife saying: this is what you deserve,” before forwarding the images to his brothers, said the cousin, named Charles Martino-Herter.
A source close to the case confirmed to AFP that a video was sent to relatives. The cousin claimed the couple’s relationship had been going poorly after the man’s alleged infidelity months earlier.
They had reportedly gone on holiday to Greece this summer, but on Wednesday the woman asked her mum to collect the children, saying: “I don’t want to go back there anymore.” Mayor Alexandre Lacroix said: “This tragedy, which cost the lives of four people, including two children, has plunged our town into deep sadness.”
According to people close to him, the man filmed the scene(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Around 30 firefighters and 50 gendarmes were deployed. A neighbour, Hervé Seigneuret, said the boys were “full of life”, recalling they “played football”, “were in the pool” and were often “scootering along the road”.
Another local woman, Liliane, said: “It’s horrible. The kids who knew him can’t believe he’s dead – they’re traumatised.”
The family belonged to the Traveller community. “It’s horrible, we have no words,” said Rémy Vienot, of Espoir et Fraternité Tsigane de Franche-Comté. Consequently, a psychological support unit has been set up at the children’s school.
“We will remain in the school as long as there is a need,” said education director Catherine Ridard. The town has also cancelled weekend events, including Saturday night’s fireworks, “out of respect for the victims and their loved ones”.
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