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Monaco heiress Helene Pastor murder: Polish ex-envoy probed | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Poland's former honorary consul in Monaco is being formally investigated over the murder of his wealthy mother-in-law, French prosecutors say. | |
Wojciech Janowski, 64, had "recognised his involvement" in the killing of heiress Helene Pastor, Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin said earlier. | |
Ms Pastor, from one of Monaco's richest families, was shot along with her driver as she left hospital in Nice. | Ms Pastor, from one of Monaco's richest families, was shot along with her driver as she left hospital in Nice. |
Mr Janowski's wife Sylvia was also detained but released without charge. | Mr Janowski's wife Sylvia was also detained but released without charge. |
Seven other suspects from a total of 23 detained in the French cities of Nice, Marseille and Rennes were placed under investigation on Friday. | |
Among them was the Pastor family sports instructor, Pascal Dauriac. | |
Inheritance | |
Both Ms Pastor, 77, and her chauffeur Mohammed Darwich, 64, were mortally wounded when a man with a sawn-off shotgun ambushed their car on 6 May as it was leaving the hospital where she had been visiting her son. | Both Ms Pastor, 77, and her chauffeur Mohammed Darwich, 64, were mortally wounded when a man with a sawn-off shotgun ambushed their car on 6 May as it was leaving the hospital where she had been visiting her son. |
The prosecution alleges that Mr Janowski paid hitmen to carry out the killing. | |
Mr Robin said Mr Janowski's motive was to "lay his hands on the inheritance" of his common-law wife. | |
Mr Janowski spent 250,000 euros ($340,000; £200,000) to contract the killing, the prosecutor said. | |
He announced earlier that Mr Janowski's bank account had seen suspicious financial flows which needed explanation. | |
Poland dismissed Mr Janowski, a Cambridge-educated businessman, from his post as honorary consul after his arrest because of the "loss of his good reputation and trustworthiness". | |
Two suspects in the shooting were identified after police studied DNA evidence and CCTV footage from the area on 6 May, prosecutors say. | |
The pair were described as aged 24 and 31, originally being from the Comoros islands, and having a string of criminal convictions. | The pair were described as aged 24 and 31, originally being from the Comoros islands, and having a string of criminal convictions. |
Video from railway stations and elsewhere showed that the two men had taken a train from Marseille to Nice on the afternoon of the shooting, gone to a hotel, and then made their way to the scene of the shooting, prosecutors say. | Video from railway stations and elsewhere showed that the two men had taken a train from Marseille to Nice on the afternoon of the shooting, gone to a hotel, and then made their way to the scene of the shooting, prosecutors say. |
French media had earlier reported they had spent 500 euros (£400; $680) on a taxi back to Marseille afterwards. | French media had earlier reported they had spent 500 euros (£400; $680) on a taxi back to Marseille afterwards. |
Sylvia, the dead woman's eldest daughter, was released on Wednesday night. | Sylvia, the dead woman's eldest daughter, was released on Wednesday night. |
Reports say she and Janowski have been together for 28 years and have a teenage daughter. | |
Ms Pastor's father, Gildo, became one of Monaco's wealthiest men when Prince Rainier gave him permission in 1966 to build high-rise buildings along the seafront, AFP news agency reports. | |
Ms Pastor's income was derived from owning several prestige properties and she rarely left her luxury home in Monaco. Prince Albert II attended her funeral. | Ms Pastor's income was derived from owning several prestige properties and she rarely left her luxury home in Monaco. Prince Albert II attended her funeral. |