Europe 1 with AFP // Photo credit: Loic Venance/AFP 3:32 p.m., March 15, 2024
A fifth suspect, arrested in Drôme this Monday, was indicted as part of the investigation into the death of young Thomas, bringing to 14 the number of people prosecuted in this case.
The teenager was stabbed to death on the night of November 18 to 19 in Crépol.
A fifth suspect arrested Monday in Drôme was indicted on Friday in Valence, bringing to 14 the number of people prosecuted in connection with the death of young Thomas during a village ball, according to information obtained by AFP on place.
This new indictment followed by placement in pre-trial detention was announced to AFP by the lawyer of the 20-year-old suspect, without specifying the charges.
11 people were arrested this Monday
At this stage, the Valencia public prosecutor's office has not yet communicated the results of the procedures initiated after the search launched Monday by the gendarmes, as part of the investigation into the death of this 16-year-old high school student who was fatally injured by a stabbing on the night of November 18 to 19 in Crépol.
A total of 11 people were arrested on Monday.
Five were brought before the investigating judges in Valencia on Thursday and Friday, according to information obtained by AFP on Friday from lawyers on site.
Six others were released without prosecution, according to the Valencia prosecutor's office.
Taken to Valencia on Thursday morning, the first of the five detainees was indicted for "intentional homicide and attempted intentional homicide by an organized gang" according to his lawyer Me Guillaume Fort.
This 19-year-old "fully admits to having participated in this evening" and "to having been close to the brawl" but "did not commit violence, even less violence with a weapon", the lawyer told AFP .
Prosecuted on the same charges as nine other suspects already indicted in November, this young person was placed under judicial supervision.
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Two other suspects arrested at the same time as him during Monday's raid were also presented to judges in the evening and then indicted, according to relatives met by AFP in court.
During its latest communications, the Valencia public prosecutor's office indicated that the exact circumstances of the tragedy remained to be clarified, none of those indicted admitting to having dealt the fatal blow to the young rugby player, who participated in the evening with several friends.
The ball turned into a brawl when uninvited young people, some considered hostile by witnesses, were involved in an altercation inside the room, before clashes outside, according to the same source.
The violence left eight people injured, four of whom were serious.
Thomas, a high school student at Romans-sur-Isère, junior captain of the RC de Romans Péage rugby team, died during his transport to hospital.