Overview

• Cyril El Baz, 53, was convicted on May 19, 2025, for the 1995 rape and murder of 19-year-old Katell Berrehouc, receiving a 25-year prison sentence.
• The case was reopened in 2017 under a national cold case initiative, with forensic DNA linking El Baz to the crime scene and leading to his 2018 arrest.
• The prosecution had sought the maximum 30-year sentence, emphasizing DNA evidence as pivotal in reconstructing the case against the defendant.
• El Baz denied all charges, claiming he never met the victim and challenging the rape accusation due to a lack of physical evidence of sexual assault.
• The court noted El Baz's prior convictions for violent theft and domestic violence with sexual assault, which influenced the sentencing decision.