A 69-year-old French chef and former butcher has gone on trial in the southern region of Aveyron, charged with the murder and dismemberment of a man whose remains he allegedly attempted to destroy by cooking. Philippe Schneider is accused of killing 60-year-old Georges Meichler, a reclusive man living off-grid in the village of Brasc, in February 2023. The alarm was raised by Meichler’s daughter, who contacted the authorities after receiving uncharacteristic text messages from her father and losing contact with him altogether.
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The investigation soon led police to Schneider and his partner Nathalie Caboubassy, 45, after they were seen driving the victim’s car. The couple, who presented themselves as modern-day druids and had relocated to the region in 2019, initially claimed they had borrowed the car to care for Meichler’s animals while he was on holiday. Schneider, who operated a local pizzeria named Don Filiippo, later changed his story multiple times, ultimately confessing to the killing but offering varying accounts of the events leading to Meichler’s death.
In the most recent version of events presented to the investigating judge, Schneider claimed he had gone to steal cannabis from Meichler’s home, accompanied by a third individual, Loup Benrakia, a gravedigger. The victim was reportedly tied up and gagged, later found to have suffocated. Schneider allegedly transported the body back to his house, where he waited several days before dismembering it. Parts of the body were said to be cooked with vegetables to disguise the smell, while other remains were burned. Schneider told police he prayed for Meichler’s soul as he scattered the ashes.
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Schneider is facing charges of kidnapping resulting in death, concealment of a corpse, and violating the integrity of a corpse. Caboubassy and Benrakia have both been charged with complicity, though both deny involvement. With no physical body recovered, the prosecution notes that the case hinges largely on the statements given by the accused. The verdict in this disturbing and complex case is expected to be delivered on 22 May.
