Charles Luylier // Photo credit: Luis Boza / ANADOLU AGENCY / Anadolu via AFP 6:06 a.m., March 29, 2024
13 days since a couple of bakers from Tarn-et-Garonne went missing on the island of Madeira, off the coast of Portugal. There, research continues. In France, a judicial investigation has been opened, but so far nothing. The investigations are at a standstill. In Beaumont-de-Lomagne, residents ask themselves a lot of questions.
“Exceptional closure for indefinite period”. Here is what we can read on the sign posted on the window of this bakery run in Beaumont-de-Lomagne for seven years by Véronique and Laurent Blond. Since their disappearance, the village mayor, Jean-Luc Deprince, has come into contact with Johanna, their daughter.
Research continues on site with dogs and drones
It was she who, there, saw them for the last time: "The day before, they had gone for a nice hike. She was tired, so she told them that they were leaving without her. But just a walk, two bottles of water and a little money in his pocket. That's when you wonder what happened. It could be a kidnapping, but there was no ransom demand. So, we ask ourselves a lot of questions.”
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Questions and many hypotheses, notably that of a voluntary disappearance or even a suicide. The computer at the couple's home was therefore seized to explore this avenue. But Luc, a close friend of the family, doesn't believe it: "Their bakery was doing very well, I don't see why they would have committed suicide. Unless they have debts that we don't know about. That would surprise me , because every Saturday, there is a ten meter queue to get the bread.
Luc and the 38,000 inhabitants of the village are now closely monitoring the searches there, in Madeira, where drones and dogs have recently been added to the system.