The terrible outcome came on Friday. The body of Karine Esquivillon, this mother who has been missing since March 27, was found in a wood near Challans (Vendée) after her husband’s confession. The latter declared having accidentally killed his wife while cleaning a 22 Long rifle, at the family home, in Maché (Vendée). Having “taken fright”, Michel Pialle explains that he then hid the body in a wood. For more than two months, he had proclaimed another speech: that of the voluntary departure of his companion. A version vigorously defended with investigators, relatives of the family, as well as many journalists to whom he had agreed to respond. But Michel Pialle went even further to try to make his lie credible: he himself posted several messages on social networks and shared articles dealing with the case.
On Facebook, the husband’s first publication about his missing wife came on May 9, more than a month after the supposed departure of Karine Esquivillon, the moment chosen by the gendarmerie to open a judicial investigation against X for kidnapping and forcible confinement. . Michel Pialle relays the call for witnesses from the gendarmerie, adding “especially since she is missed by many and particularly by her children and her family!! “. From this date, the fifties will publish no less than 18 posts on the social network.
“No one is more hated than the one who speaks the truth”
On May 12, sharing an article from France 3, Michel Pialle wrote: “To share everywhere!! And many all over the South! And if possible Spain and Portugal or even Italy… The wait is infernal! We just want news simply… Thank you all! On May 17, the husband pinned a new message at the top of his Facebook page: “Everyone misses her! And especially to his children, his family, his loved ones and to myself of course! It is hell and psychological imprisonment not to know…”
On May 26, the tone changed. Aware of the doubts expressed by observers and part of his entourage, Michel Pialle posts a quotation from Plato: “No one is more hated than the one who speaks the truth”, completing this quotation with a personal comment: “it is unfortunate but true”. On June 1, Michel Pialle broadcasts an article from BFM in which he expresses his intention to file a complaint for cyberbullying.
“We all need to know you’re okay”
On June 4, Mother’s Day, the father of the family publishes drawings of his children addressed to Karine Esquivillon. “Karine if you read us… Know that we all think very strongly of you! The children wish you a happy Mother’s Day, they love you and they miss you a lot! Please let me know,” he wrote.
On June 6, the day before being indicted, Michel Pialle again posted a message on Facebook which, with hindsight, sends shivers down the spine: “Karine, if you can read or hear us, Eva-Louise, Jules, Bérénice, Antoine and Thomas, like me, are waiting for news from you… Just news at least, we beg you. We all need to know that you’re fine, we won’t bother you, don’t be afraid of questions, there won’t be any if you don’t want to talk about it… But phone, go to a police station who can confirm that you are well and that you are free… Send a video with a newspaper of the day or other. But please give news! »
On June 16, after two days in police custody, Michel Pialle finally confessed to having killed his companion and told investigators where to find the body. He was indicted for “spouse murder” and remanded in custody.