It is the end of a search that lasted more than a year. On Wednesday, October 16, 2023, the body of Lina, the teenager who disappeared in September 2023 in the French department of Bas-Rhin, was found around 500 kilometers from her home, the Strasbourg public prosecutor's office announced in a statement.
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The body was discovered in a remote wooded area, submerged in a watercourse below an embankment near Nevers in the French department of Nièvre. Lina's identification was confirmed by genetic analyses carried out by the police in a fast-track procedure.
This is the tragic outcome of a missing person's case that has shaken France for over a year. Since October 16, 2024, investigators have been focusing on the forensic medical reports that will be available in the near future to determine the exact cause of the teenager's death.
The role of the suspect in the discovery
The case took an even darker turn when investigators linked Lina's disappearance to 43-year-old Samuel Gonin, who had taken his own life in Besançon a few months earlier, on July 10. The Ford Puma he was using had been located in the area where Lina's body was found, the day after she disappeared, on September 23, 2023.
But that was not all. During the search of his car, the investigators discovered incriminating material inside. Indeed, traces of DNA belonging to Lina and her handbag were found in his car. Even more chilling was the fact that the ropes found in the boot of the car also contained the girl's DNA, which added to the suspicion of this man's role in the case.
The discovery of the body was the result of a thorough search organized around the various stops the vehicle had made. However, the investigation is far from over. The authorities are now trying to establish the exact circumstances of Lina's death.
The silent pain of Lina's parents
In this difficult time of grief, Lina's parents prefer to remain silent. Through their lawyers, they have said that they do not wish to respond publicly at this time. They are waiting for the results of the experts who have been sent to the site.
Maître Matthieu Airoldi, Lina's mother's lawyer, said on BFMTV that his client was 'horrified'. The family, who are immersed in grief, want to spend this time of mourning away from the public eye.
A nightmare since September 2023
Lina disappeared on September 23, 2023 on her way from her home in Plaine in the Bas-Rhin department to Saint-Blaise-la-Roche train station. This disappearance immediately triggered a massive mobilization. On the same day, search parties, helicopter flights and the use of drones tried in vain to find her.
Despite the extensive search, Lina remained untraceable and months passed without any convincing leads. On October 1, 2023, an investigation was opened for abduction and deprivation of liberty. Her mother had been holding on to the hope that she was alive, till the very last moment. She said while appearing on a TV program:
Everything. My mother's instinct, my guts, my heart. I know she's alive.
Her hopes came crumbing down after she was discovered more than a year after her disappearance.
This drama raises many questions about what might have happened between her departure for the station and the discovery of her body. The investigation continues and the results of the forensic reports will be crucial in determining the exact circumstances of Lina's death.
This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag DE.
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Sources used:
Strasbourg Public Prosecutor's Office
BFMTV: Disparition de Lina: le corps de l'adolescente retrouvé dans un cours d'eau près de Nevers
