The death of Stéphane Vitel, principal of a college in Lisieux (Calvados) found dead in his establishment last August after the triggering of an anti-intrusion alarm, is probably not a homicide, according to the Caen public prosecutor’s office. “The medico-legal elements do not make it possible to establish the intervention of a third party in the death of Stéphane Vitel,” the prosecution said in a press release.
“Nothing suggests blows”
The results of the additional expert opinions requested by the investigating judge seem to confirm “a natural cause for death”, probably linked to an untreated cardiovascular pathology which had been detected during the autopsy, specified to Ouest-France the public prosecutor of Caen. “Nothing suggests there were blows,” said Joël Garrigue.
The body of Stéphane Vitel, 48, was found inside the Pierre-Simon college in Laplace by his family on August 11 at dawn. The principal was preparing to go on vacation with his wife and two children when he was informed that an intruder alarm had been triggered. He had taken a detour to go to the college where he had entered alone. His daughter, worried not to see him return, found him unconscious inside the building.
Strong emotion last August
The death of this principal had caused strong emotion, especially since his wife had told several media that she was certain that he had “been attacked”, saying she had seen a car speeding away from the school. Two young men aged 17 and 19 subsequently admitted to having entered the Lisieux college after an “alcoholic evening”, triggering the alarm. But the investigation established with certainty that they had already left when Stéphane Vitel arrived on the scene.
These two young people, without criminal records, were indicted for this intrusion. “At this stage of the investigation, it is possible to determine that a single intrusion was detected and recorded by the alarm center on the day of the events, at 5:58 a.m., at the door through which the two young people were placed. under investigation in August attempted to enter the establishment,” indicates the press release from the Caen public prosecutor’s office. Data from the alarm system also confirms that the two young people “did not penetrate deeper into the establishment and that no person entered or remained in the premises between 5:58 a.m. and 6:34 a.m. , time of arrival on site of Stéphane Vitel”, he adds.