Disappearance of Ophélie Bretnacher

The disappearance of Ophélie Bretnacher is an unsolved criminal case involving Ophélie Bretnacher, a French exchange student. The case was closed in 2014.

Ophélie Bretnacher

Background

Ophélie Bretnacher was a French Exchange student participating in the Erasmus Programme. She disappeared in Budapest, Hungary on December 4, 2008. CCTV cameras were able to track part of her route, determining that she left a nightclub called Portside of Cuba. The footage shows her walking from Dohány Street to Deák Square, up to the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, and across the Danube.[1] The CCTV footage has since been uploaded to YouTube.[2]

Investigations revealed that she left Portside of Cuba, the nightclub, after having celebrated Saint Nicholas Day with friends. She was walking in the direction of her home. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone among other personal belongings, was found later that evening on the Széchenyi Chain Bridge by two Italian students. Her closest friends and her host family, concerned for her whereabouts, contacted her family the following day.

Friends and family members made many attempts to locate her.[3][4] An official investigation was opened in Hungary, followed shortly afterward by one in France. Two months later, in February 2009, her body was discovered in Csepel, an island in the Danube.

Investigation

After the discovery of her body, Hungarian authorities assigned a seven-member police team to investigate the case.[1] The police said that suicide or an accident were the likely causes of her death.[5] However, homicide was also considered a possibility,[6] because a hematoma was found on Ophelie's body and there were many gray areas during the investigation.[7] One fact contributing to the dispute over her cause of death was that her body was found upstream.[8]

In February 2010, her family filed a new claim for murder.[9][10][11][12]

In March 2010, a judicial inquiry was opened in Paris for kidnapping, unlawful confinement and murder.[13] By 2014, authorities in Hungary were prepared to close the case, considering the investigation deadline was set to expire in February of that year.[14] New information reportedly surfaced, prompting the Budapest prosecutor's office to continue the inquiry. Sources say that the investigation resumed due to inconsistencies in the testimonies of the interrogated witnesses.[14]

The Hungarian investigation was closed in 2014.[15]

Political and diplomatic consequences

While Hungarian police concluded that the case could either be a suicide or accidental drowning, in France there was public clamor for a more thorough investigation. An online petition has been signed by over 10,000 people and was sent to the French President.[16] On January 11, 2009, several hundred people marched silently in a white march, from the Champ-de-Mars, near the Eiffel Tower, to encourage the involvement of the French authorities.[17]

French politicians also expressed interest in continuing the investigation, including Catherine Vautrin, the Vice-Président of the National Assembly[18][19][20] Following this intervention, French investigators were sent to Hungary for a second time.

See also

References
  1. "Hungarian police finds body in Danube, likely missing French student | The Budapest Times". budapesttimes-archiv.bzt.hu. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  2. Yankeesgunz (2009-01-21), A Roosevelt tér - Ahogy A Kamera Látta - Feliratozva - Kommentár Nélkül, archived from the original on 2021-12-15, retrieved 2018-07-11
  3. "Ophélie Bretnacher missing". Hír Televízió. December 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
  4. "Le web mobilisé pour retrouver Ophélie Bretnacher". L'Express. December 11, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
  5. (in English) "Ophélie Bretnacher mystery nears end as body recovered". Caboodle.hu. February 13, 2009. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
  6. "EXCLUSIF Ophélie Bretnacher l'homicide ne doit pas être écarté". Archived from the original on 2011-05-13., L’Est Républicain 4 December 2009
  7. "Disparition d'Ophélie Bretnacher — Mort probable d'Ophélie : un hématome qui interpelle"., L’Union February 14, 2009
  8. "Ophélie : ne pas écarter l'homicide"., L’Est Républicain, 2009-12-03.
  9. "Justice - Ces familles qui s'impliquent | Actualités au quotidien France-Soir". Archived from the original on 2010-02-23. Retrieved 2010-02-20. "Justice, ces familles qui s'impliquent", Jean-Pierre Thiollet, France-Soir, February 18 2010
  10. "Meuse : Affaire Ophélie Bretnacher, nouvelle plainte des parents". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-02-03. Meuse:Ophélie, nouvelle plainte des parents, l'Est Républicain, 3 February 2010
  11. Ophélie Bretnacher, plainte pour meurtre, le Figaro 2 February 2010
  12. Elle, La famille relance l'enquête 2 February 2010
  13. Mort d'Ophélie Bretnacher en Hongrie, une information judiciaire, le Point March 17, 2010
  14. "Újra nyomoznak Ophélie ügyében". Blikk.hu (in Hungarian). 2015-10-14. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  15. "Megszüntették a nyomozást Ophélie ügyében".
  16. "Pétition pour une implication de l'Etat français".
  17. "Ils refusent qu'on oublie Ophélie". Le Parisien. January 12, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  18. "Catherine Vautrin Questions au gouvernement 13 janvier 2009". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20.
  19. "Vidéo de l'intervention de Catherine Vautrin à l'Assemblée nationale". Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
  20. "Disparition d'Ophélie Bretnacher le 13-15 le mag".
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