Monday followingnoon, the Liège public prosecutor’s office gave more details as to the circumstances of the real tragedy discovered, Monday morning, in a pretty villa on rue du Commandant Naessens in Awans. The first elements gleaned on the spot revealed that Michel Mourad would have killed his wife, Candice Harray, and their two children, Julien and Lucas.
Catherine Collignon, first deputy of the King’s Prosecutor of Liège in charge of relations with the press, lifted a corner of the veil.
“The police were called to the scene this morning,” said the magistrate. “A relative was worried because he had no more news and the gentleman had not shown up at his place of work, which was not like him. When the police arrived, they discovered four dead bodies in the house. The deaths occurred between 11 p.m. Sunday and 2 a.m. Monday. The Liège public prosecutor’s office descended on the scene, as did the lab and the medical examiner. »
The children had been drugged
The two children, aged 11 and 14, were in their bedroom. They had been asleep as evidenced by the drugs found near the two small bodies. Michel Mourad then stabbed them to death. “The wife, too, was in her room,” continues Catherine Collignon. “She was killed with an axe. As for the author’s body, it was found in the cellar of the family home where he killed himself with a circular saw. The first elements seem to indicate that the author first murdered his wife before attacking his children. »
The question is on everyone’s lips: what is the trigger that pushed Michel Mourad to act in this way? The 44-year-old Awansois was a physiotherapist, as was his wife, Candice Harray, also 44 years old. The man had never reported himself negatively in the eyes of justice. He was not known for domestic violence and had no prior history.
The answer lies in a note left by Michel at home. “The word has been found. In it, he reports his despair and his pain, “says Catherine Collignon once more. “The couple was experiencing difficulties. They were separated but they still lived together and he said he mightn’t bear this situation very well. It is, in particular, in this word that he also says that he put the children to sleep. »
In a scenario like this, it is said that the public action is extinguished since the author of the facts committed suicide following having murdered his wife and his two children. This means that there will, of course, be no trial.
“But the investigation continues,” insists Catherine Collignon.
