A 17-year-old girl was found stabbed to death in her apartment in the Grand’Mare district of Rouen on Sunday, with police arresting her 22-year-old ex-boyfriend as he attempted to flee to Algeria.
The young woman’s lifeless body was discovered by her relatives who visited the apartment after being unable to get ahold of her.
“We were called following the discovery of the body of a young woman in an apartment located in Hauts de Rouen. Immediately, strong suspicion fell on her ex-boyfriend, who was on the run,” stated Sébastien Gallois, Rouen’s public prosecutor.
The police swiftly identified the suspect and tracked him down to Paris. He was arrested at Saint-Lazare station, shortly after stepping off a train.
According to reports from Actu17, the suspect had planned to flee to the Algerian capital of Algiers via a flight from Orly Airport. He had already booked his ticket, which prosecutors are calling a premeditated escape.
The suspect is known to the police for previous offenses. He was taken into custody by officers from Rouen’s Organized and Specialized Crime Division (DCOS), where he is currently being interrogated.
Police conducted a detailed examination of the crime scene in the victim’s apartment but have not yet released further details about the motive or the timeline of events.
The investigation continues.