Today, we present a story that will leave no one indifferent.
The Grégory comic book will be released on October 3, 2024, with a preface written by Jean-Marie Villemin. The father of the murdered little boy has made no comments on the case since the publication of his own book in 1994.
He had not spoken for many years. Apart from a few words in the afterword of a book in 2021, the last time Jean-Marie Villemin spoke publicly was in 2006, in an interview with La Croix. But as the 40th anniversary of the terrible tragedy that forever changed his life approaches, little Grégory’s father is breaking his silence once again.
As reported by RTL on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, Jean-Marie Villemin will speak in a graphic novel in which he is the main character. Now 66 years old, he is currently writing the preface for Grégory, a graphic novel set to be released on March 3.
The book will be published in October by Les Arènes and is inspired by this unsolved case, which remains one of the greatest judicial mysteries of the last century in France. Written by Pat Perna and illustrated by Christophe Gaultier, the novel primarily focuses on the trial of Jean-Marie Villemin, who was sentenced in 1993 to five years in prison (one year suspended) for the murder of his cousin Bernard Laroche, then suspected of killing his son.
Grégory Affair: 40 Years After the Child’s Body Was Discovered, the Investigation Continues – L’Humanité
Jean-Marie Villemin’s Murder Trial at the Center of a Graphic Novel
To recall: young Grégory Villemin was found dead in the Vologne River on October 16, 1984. His hands and feet were bound when he was discovered just hours after his disappearance, but the four-year-old boy never received justice. Forty years later, the identity of his killer remains a mystery. The infamous “Corbeau” who harassed the family for years is still unidentified.
“The graphic novel focuses on the trial, ten years after the tragedy. On the witness stand, overwhelmed by grief, Jean-Marie Villemin recounts the horrific events. Between negotiations and life in prison, Grégory’s father recalls the happy days of a young couple who had made a good life for themselves—Jean-Marie’s early promotion to foreman, Christine’s beauty and zest for life, their sweet and mischievous son Grégory, and their new home,” the publisher wrote in a statement.
And the statement continues: “These two months of negotiations also explore the mystery. All the key players are present. ‘I expect Murielle [Bolle] to tell the truth about my child’s death,’ says Jean-Marie. The court mobilizes its forces. The jurors cry and ask questions. The lawyers engage in fierce verbal battles. Witnesses lie shamelessly.”
This highly anticipated book will likely also include Jean-Marie Villemin’s personal reflections on this chapter of the case.
In addition, another graphic novel—Le Corbeau: L’Affaire Grégory Villemin (published by Petit à Petit)—will be released at the same time. This book, which recounts the entire story, will be available in bookstores starting October 2, 2024. You can find an interview with the authors on Femme Actuelle.
