The day after the death of Father Olivier Maire in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre (Vendée), the parquet of La Roche-sur-Yon unveiled the results of the autopsy this Tuesday evening. “The result is that the victim presented six lesions, all located on the head, caused by violent blows, the autopsy not having made it possible to determine the nature of the murder weapon”, announces Emmanuelle Lepissier, prosecutor of the Republic.
“These significant brain lesions resulted in internal and external hemorrhages, the death being, according to the conclusions of the forensic pathologist, occurred quickly after the blows were carried,” she adds.
Interned in psychiatry
The main suspect is Emmanuel Abayisenga, a 40-year-old Rwandan who was staying in the religious community of the Montfort Missionaries to which the Catholic priest belonged. He accused himself of the homicide by giving himself up to the gendarmes on Monday. He was already indicted for the arson of Nantes cathedral in July 2020 and was at liberty under judicial supervision.
The custody of Emmanuel Abayisenga was however lifted Monday afternoon because of his mental state. He “is the subject of a hospitalization in a psychiatric environment”, indicates Emmanuelle Lepissier, public prosecutor.