Murder of Alexia Daval

47°26′41″N 5°35′07″E / 47.4446°N 5.5852°E / 47.4446; 5.5852ConvictedJonathann DavalConvictionsMurderSentence25 years' imprisonment

On 28 October 2017, Alexia Daval (née Fouillot; 18 February 1988 – 27 or 28 October 2017) was reported missing from her hometown of Gray-la-Ville, Haute-Saône, France, by her husband Jonathann Daval. Two days later, her body was discovered in a forest in Esmoulins.^[1][2][3][4] Three months later, Jonathann was arrested by the police and confessed to the murder. On 21 November 2020, he was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The case generated widespread public interest and shock throughout France. Many were deeply disturbed by the violent nature of the crime and the fact that it involved a seemingly normal couple. The revelation that Jonathann, who had initially portrayed himself as a grieving husband, was involved in his wife's death further fueled public outrage and disbelief. Vigils and silent marches were held in memory of Alexia, reflecting the community's grief and support for her family. As details of the case emerged, particularly the toxic relationship and the violent messages, the public's perception of the couple shifted, leading to a more nuanced view of the tragedy. The trial attracted significant media coverage, with many people closely following the proceedings.

Alexia Fouillot was born on 18 February 1988 in Gray, Haute-Saône. She had an older sister. Her parents ran a PMU bar in Gray, a town where her mother was a municipal councilor. Fouillot graduated with a master's degree in educational sciences and became a banker. Jonathann Daval, born on 16 January 1984, grew up in Velet. He has four brothers and two sisters. His father died of a heart attack when he was young, and his mother later had a child with a construction worker. Daval and Fouillot met and began a relationship in 2004, aged 20 and 16 years old respectively. They married on 18 July 2015.^[5] The Daval couple excelled in sports and shared a common passion for running. According to the couple's friends, they seemed to love each other.^[6]

On the morning of 28 October 2017, Jonathann reported Alexia missing after she had ostensibly left their marital home in Gray-la-Ville to go jogging and did not return. Her brother-in-law—Alexia's sister's husband—noticed Daval's behavior. The case, which echoed several murders of female joggers committed in France since the 2000s, made headlines and attracted significant media attention. It created the beginnings of panic in the region, particularly among walkers, hikers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts, many of whom were in the area where Alexia was supposed to have gone running. In addition, many local residents knew her parents, who were very involved in the life of the community.

Alexia's body was discovered two days later in the Bois de la Vaivre, a forest in the nearby commune of Esmoulins.^[7] She had been beaten and strangled to death. Public prosecutor Emmanuel Dupic opened a judicial investigation for murder, entrusting the investigation to the Besançon research section.

Hundreds of people took part in the various tributes paid to Alexia in particular November during a "white march" organized in Gray.^[8] Alexia's relatives spoke at the end of the silent march. Her sister described Alexia as a "pretty, independent, and brilliant young woman with a strong character." Her mother prayed that Alexia was alive and would come home, while Jonathann pleaded for her safe return along with her in-laws.^[9]

Alexia's family defended Jonathann as the police initially suspected him but ruled him out. It was only after three months of investigation that they clearly turned their attention to him, when a witness, a neighbor of the Davals, came forward after seeing his car driving on the day Alexia disappeared. Jonathann then became the main suspect and Alexia's parents were convinced their son-in-law was an innocent man. Police uncovered an analysis of A GPS system that confirmed a trip that night, and experts discovered that the tire tracks found near the body matched those of his car. The arrest of Jonathann took place on 29 January 2018. After 30 hours of denial in police custody, Jonathann confessed to the crime in the presence of his in-laws.^[10][11] Jonathann had falsely accused Alexia’s brother-in-law of being her killer.

The police uncovered Alexia's phone, which revealed some fairly violent text messages towards her husband. Alexia's "overwhelming" personality towards her husband became a point of the defense's argument. The suspect's defense noted that when Alexia became pregnant around the summer of 2017 and miscarried, it strained their relationship. However, her sister testified at the trial that Jonathann seemed outgoing and ignored his wife. The messages revealed toxic fights between the couple, particularly about their sex life. Their friends were shocked to hear this. Jonathann's lawyer also commented on the situation by said Alexia was aggistor one. ^[12][13][14]

The trial began on 16 November 2020 at the Assize Court of Haute-Saône and Territoire de Belfort in Vesoul. During the trial, Alexia's family and friends testified about how the couple's relationship had deteriorated. Alexia's mother confronted her son-in-law as he apologized to Alexia's family, his mother said that her son was a good person. The trial concluded on 21 November with Jonathann being found guilty of Alexia’s murder. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The court found that Jonathann had deliberately killed Alexia and attempted to cover up his actions by initially reporting her missing and later participating in public appeals for her return.^[15][16][17]

• Watts family murders

• Alexia Fouillot at Find a Grave