Murder of Vanessa Lagesse in 2001 – the ex-SP Monvoisin: “Theft as a motive has been ruled out”

“There was a lot of violence,” declared former police superintendent Daniel Monvoisin, one of the investigators into the death of Vanessa Lagesse, after seeing her corpse in photos during the investigation. However, he said, the motive for theft has been ruled out. The former high-ranking officer read and produced the deposition of Bernard Maigrot, dated March 24, 2001, in which he explained his relationship with Vanessa Lagesse.

Former superintendent (SP) Daniel Monvoisin learned of the death of Vanessa Lagesse on March 10, 2001. On March 11, 2001, he went to the scene and to the home of Bernard Maigrot in the company of other police officers. He met the Austrian Elizabeth Henesch. This is the last person to have met Vanessa Lagesse. She had dinner with the latter on the evening of March 9, 2001.

Vanessa Lagesse's friend, in a relationship with a Mauritian, was also employed in one of Bernard Maigrot's companies. She and her lover were questioned in connection with this case.

According to the former high-ranking officer, nothing came out of the couple's interrogation, other than the fact that it was confirmed that they were in a romantic relationship. The witness maintained that the couple had not been treated as “suspects”. He reported that from March 11 to March 24, 2001, several people had been questioned and the police had worked on several leads.

“There was no evidence but we were given certain information which led us to believe that Bernard Maigrot may be connected with the case,” declared ex-superintendent Monvoisin. He added that theft as a motive was ruled out because there was no disorder in the deceased's house, no drawers had been emptied, no openings had been forced. Additionally, “nothing was reported stolen,” the witness said.

He visited the scene of the crime on March 11, 2001. He claimed that it was brought to his attention that eight or more people had visited the scene, before the police arrived on March 10, 2001. Among them, there was a German couple who rented a space in the courtyard near the deceased's house as well as some members of her family.

Former Superintendent Monvoisin also mentioned that, around April 23, 2001, the decision was taken to withdraw the investigation from them and entrust it to the late Prem Raddhoa. At that time, no arrests had yet been made. However, the search for evidence continued, the witness said.

The hearing of witnesses will continue this Wednesday, June 5, 2024. Bernard Maigrot pleads not guilty before the Assize Court to the murder of stylist Vanessa Lagesse. Her body was found on March 9, 2001, in her bathtub in Grand-Baie.

Relationship between Bernard Maigrot and Vanessa Lagesse

A series of 48 questions were asked to Bernard Maigrot on March 24, 2001 in the office of the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT). In his testimony, the businessman explained that eight years before Vanessa Lagesse's death, in 1993, they had a romantic relationship which lasted several months. He had left home to rent a house in Trou-aux-Biches for a month where the young woman came to meet him. Subsequently, he decided to end this relationship, before returning to live with his wife and two children. A decision that the deceased had respected and accepted.

However, says Bernard Maigrot, they remained in contact and met from time to time, because they still had feelings for each other. He claims to have seen the victim for the last time on
March 6, 2001 at her home following her invitation to dinner. That day, they also had sex before eating their meal. He told investigators that Vanessa Lagesse never spoke to him about his financial situation, however, he said he was aware that it was his sister, Anne Rogers, who managed the assets.

Bernard Maigrot told the police that he did not know if the deceased had a lover or any enemy. However, she told him that five months before her death, “she had surprised a construction worker in her yard, but she had pushed him away.”

His schedule

Furthermore, Bernard Maigrot returned to his schedule on the night of March 9, 2001. He mentioned having gone to a restaurant to have dinner with his family in Grand-Baie. They then headed towards Cap-Malheureux to go to a friend's house, before returning home around one o'clock in the morning. He told investigators that he called Vanessa Lagesse on March 9, 2001 around 8 p.m. She seemed in a hurry, because she was hosting Elizabeth Henesch for dinner and had asked her to call her back the next day. On March 10, 2001, he said he called him several times, but to no avail. However, when he called the deceased's landline, a woman answered. Bernard Maigrot said he thought it was the servant. She told him that Vanessa Lagesse was absent.

“I was extremely shocked and sad”

To investigators, Bernard Maigrot insisted that he had nothing to do in the death of Vanessa Lagesse. He also stressed that he did not know the circumstances which led to the death of the stylist. He claimed he never assaulted the victim and never forbade her from going to parties. Furthermore, he indicated that he had learned of her death from two friends who had come to tell him this sad news at his home on March 10, 2001. “I was extremely shocked and sad,” he told investigators, maintaining that 'he didn't want to accept this fact.