Prosecutor Confirms No Religious Motive in Double Homicide of Retired Priest and Woman in Vosges

The 34-year-old suspect remains hospitalized in a psychiatric facility as investigations into his mental state and motives continue.

A retired priest, Pierre Panon, and a 76-year-old woman were killed by stoning on March 31, 2025, in Xertigny, Vosges, while house-sitting for the woman's brother.
Authorities have ruled out any connection between the priest's religious role and the attack, according to Épinal prosecutor Frédéric Nahon.
The suspect, known for prior drug-related offenses, was arrested with bloodied feet after resisting arrest and has been hospitalized in a psychiatric facility.
The victims were found in a public area, with bloodied stones and a broken cane nearby, and the timeline of the attack was narrowed to a 30-minute window.
Further psychiatric evaluations of the suspect are ongoing, with the results expected to guide the next steps in the investigation.