2024-11-13 05:00:00
CIt was a Monday. On November 13, 2023, David Daouphars, 53, was at home in Galgon when a squad of gendarmes surrounded his house and arrested the alleged perpetrator of the assassination of Sylviane and Jean-Claude Muller, brutally killed in Izon in the night of December 14 to 15, 2019.
Almost four years after the events, the man who was none other than the closest neighbor of the Muller couple, was confused by his DNA and placed in police custody.
The bodies of Jean-Claude Muller, 58, and his wife Sylviane, 50, were discovered on December 15, 2019 at the end of the day by Margaux, one of the couple’s daughters. They are partly naked. Jean-Claude Muller is on the bed, bloody, after receiving around twenty stab wounds to the chest. His wife was stabbed 43 times, her chest lacerated, she bears marks of a slit throat. The height of ignominy: she was raped, apparently post-mortem, with her granddaughter’s baby monitor.
For four years, David Daouphars went under the radar of investigators. The day after the tragedy, he testified on the France 3 Aquitaine television news and declared: “We didn’t eat together, but we still knew each other a little, it’s so weird! »
Confronted with the reality of his actions
At the time, no one noticed a scratch mark on his neck. We will therefore have to wait until the samples taken from David Daouphars during his hearing, on September 10, 2020, are entrusted on the eve of summer 2023 to the Bordeaux medico-legal hematology laboratory of Professor Christian Doutremepuich so that we can is moving towards a judicial truth.
“He is a man on whom everything seems to slide, who seems indifferent to everything and everyone”
The reconstitution took place on April 11 under very close surveillance.
Fabien Cottereau / SO
The male epithelial cells taken from under a fragment of Sylviane Muller’s nail are indeed hers, there is not the slightest doubt. And the traces of Redskins brand soles, size 44, found at the crime scene correspond to the shoes that will later be found during a search of his home.
In police custody, he tried to deny it but ended up breaking down during the fifth hearing. He explains that he had a date with Sylviane Muller but that the husband surprised them in the bedroom. In the fight, he would have committed the unspeakable. “Jean-Claude arrived, things went wrong. I took my knife from my pocket and defended myself. »
During the reconstruction, on April 11, 2024, David Daouphars, confronted with the reality of the atrocity of his actions, would have shown himself to be not very verbose and intriguing during the four hours of this judicial act.
In hearing before the investigating judge in charge of the case, he said he had a romantic affair with Sylviane Muller who allegedly made “advances” towards him. “Little kisses on the cheeks and on the mouth since September 2019. Seeing each other in the street, we got closer. »
“Coldness and detachment”
An imaginary scenario that the discoveries of the police on his computer will annihilate. As early as 2009, David Daouphars, then married and father of two children, fantasized about his 40-year-old neighbor and her two daughters aged 13 and 18. Investigators found traces of Internet searches with the keywords “sex plan,” “married women on Izon,” “woman having her penis destroyed” or even “see 14-year-old’s chest” or “panty torn off ( sic)”. The father, who was in a separate room with his wife at the time of the events, was a big consumer of pornographic images and videos.
The psychiatric expertise of the alleged assassin carried out at the beginning of July 2024 at the Gradignan penitentiary center, where he is incarcerated, will reveal the contours of a “schizoid” personality marked by “coldness and detachment”, not showing no emotion or feeling of guilt. The investigators themselves described “a man on whom everything seems to slide, who appears indifferent to everything and everyone. »
When psychiatrists talk about the double murder, they talk about “a stupidity, a big stupidity”
In front of the expert doctors, he declared that he cried when his parents first came to bring him things to the prison visiting room. When psychiatrists talk about the double murder, they talk about “a stupidity, a big stupidity”. Sylviane Muller’s bra, found half burnt at the scene of the tragedy, evokes no memory for him but, on the other hand, he admits to having an attraction to women’s underwear.
A major risk of recurrence
It is possible that David Daouphars acted under the influence of alcohol with which he was familiar. The experts nevertheless retain full criminal liability “making it possible to rule out a totally impulsive act”. Worrying conclusion, they note a “major risk of recidivism” and in particular “a specific dangerousness” with regard to the Muller girls.
Behind bars, David Daouphars expressed the wish to work in the prison bakery while awaiting his trial before the Gironde Assize Court.
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**Interview with Criminal Psychologist Dr. Emily Carter on the Arrest of David Daouphars**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us, Dr. Carter. The recent arrest of David Daouphars for the 2019 murders of Sylviane and Jean-Claude Muller has shocked many. What are your thoughts on how a neighbor could commit such heinous acts?
**Dr. Carter:** Thank you for having me. It’s indeed chilling, and it highlights the complexities of human relationships. Often, individuals who commit such crimes are not the typical outsiders; they may be someone we see daily, hiding in plain sight. Daouphars’ long-standing proximity to the victims added a layer of betrayal that makes this case especially disturbing.
**Interviewer:** His DNA was pivotal in linking him to the crime scene. How important are forensics in cases like this?
**Dr. Carter:** Forensic evidence is crucial; it can significantly shift the focus of an investigation. In Daouphars’ case, the DNA found under Sylviane Muller’s nails confirms a violent encounter, which, unfortunately, also sheds light on the victim’s struggle. This kind of evidence can be damning in court and often leads to confessions, as seen with Daouphars.
**Interviewer:** During his police interviews, Daouphars initially denied involvement. What does that say about his psychological state?
**Dr. Carter:** Denial is a common first response, especially when a person is confronted with overwhelming evidence. His eventual breakdown suggests a depth of cognitive dissonance—a struggle between his self-perception and the reality of his actions. Such behavior can point to underlying issues like guilt, shame, and an inability to cope with the consequences of violent behavior.
**Interviewer:** There are reports of Daouphars suggesting a romantic connection to Sylviane Muller. Could such feelings play a role in his actions?
**Dr. Carter:** It’s possible. Romantic or obsessive feelings can blur the lines of moral judgment for some individuals. However, when such feelings lead to violence, it indicates deeper psychological issues. The notion of perceived rejection can escalate rapidly in violent individuals, often leading to tragic endings.
**Interviewer:** The details of the crime itself—especially the brutal nature of the murders—are horrific. What drives someone to commit such violence?
**Dr. Carter:** There are often multiple factors, including psychological predispositions, environmental influences, and immediate situational triggers. In Daouphars’ case, his previous fantasies about the Mullers could suggest a longstanding fixation that culminated in a violent outburst.
**Interviewer:** As this case unfolds, what do you think the path to justice looks like for the victims’ family?
**Dr. Carter:** It’s a long and painful road. The family will have to navigate their grief while the legal process plays out. They deserve justice, not just in the form of a conviction, but also in the acknowledgment of the tragic loss they’ve experienced. The emotional toll of such violent crimes often extends far beyond the courtroom.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Carter, for your insights on this tragic case. It’s crucial for the public to understand the psychological dimensions behind such acts of violence.
**Dr. Carter:** Thank you for discussing this important topic.
