Louise Lasalle.Photo:Epinay-sur-Orge/Facebook
Epinay-sur-Orge/Facebook
A 23-year-old man in France has admitted tokilling an 11-year-old schoolgirlbecause he was “angry” after losing a game ofFortnite, according to reports.
The victim has since been identified as Louise Lasalle, per outlets includingThe TimesandThe Independent.The Timesadded that a suspect, named as Owen L, had since confessed to the killing.
According to French television networkTF1, the suspect told investigators that he was “very angry” after an argument with another gamer, so he left home.
“While playingFortnite, he had an altercation online with another player who insulted him,” prosecutor Grégoire Dulin said, according toThe Times. “Very angry, he stopped playing and went out to calm down.”
A photo of tributes left for Louise Lasalle.MAGALI COHEN/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty
MAGALI COHEN/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty
TF1 stated he’d planned to “rob or extort money from someone to calm down,” but “accidentally” crossed paths with Louise “whom he did not know,” citing the prosecutor.
“He spotted her mobile, which she was carrying on a cord around her neck, and decided to follow her,” Dulin said, perThe Times.
Lasalle’s phone was found beside her body and there was no evidence of sexual assault, Dulin stated, per the outlet.
Louise Lasalle.Epinay-sur-Orge/Facebook
The suspect was thought to have confessed to his girlfriend that he had “done something serious,” before getting rid of the weapon, putting bleach on his clothes and throwing everything in the garbage, TF1 reported.The Timesadded that his girlfriend, 24, who has not been named, had been charged with failing to report a crime.
The outlet added that the suspect had previously tried to have another schoolgirl accompany him into the woods, but she refused.
French publicationLe Mondereported that a male suspect’s DNA had been found on the victim’s hands, citing the prosecutor’s office.
According toThe Times, the suspect is unemployed, was living with his parents and had a police record for petty crime.
His 19-year-old sister had reportedly filed a complaint against him in April 2023, accusing him of being violent, per TF1, which stated she described her brother as “violent,” “nervous” and “aggressive.” The outlet reported the sister hadn’t spoken to the suspect since she filed the complaint against him.
A stock photo of the ‘Fortnite’ logo.Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Lasalle’s older sister shared a post on social media asking for the public’s help in searching for her, according to the publication, and said that she was last seen crossing a street in the neighboring town of Longjumeau, where the victim’s family lives.
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Police are pictured in the area where Louise Lasalle’s body was found.JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP via Getty
JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP via Getty
Epinay-sur-Orge mayor, Olivier Marchau, wrote onFacebookon Feb. 12 in a translated post, “No words are strong enough to express our sadness and dislike at such an incomprehensible act.”
“Louise was a joyful young girl who just wanted to live her teenage life,” he added. “My deepest thoughts go out to [her] family, relatives and friends.”
source: people.com
