Jonathann Daval, who so far maintained that he did not want to kill his wife, Alexia, confessed this Thursday, November 19, 2020 in the evening, as part of his trial. A crucial moment.
Jonathann Daval admitted this Thursday, November 19, 2020 to have wanted "to give death" to his wife, née Alexia Fouillot. A statement made before the Assize Court of Haute-Saône and Territoire de Belfort, where his questioning had to be interrupted yesterday following his discomfort. It was able to continue today.
Jonathann Daval explained that on the night of the murder, he had an argument with Alexia. He admitted having violently hit and strangled her. "Anyway, I gave him death, yes, when you strangle someone like that it is to kill", he explained to the president of the court, Matthieu Husson. "So this is the death you wanted?", insisted the president. "Yes", released the accused, quoted in an AFP dispatch. If this statement is surprising, it is because the accused had so far denied the intentionality of his gesture. We also remember that before the trial, his lawyers had reserved the possibility of pleading the willful violence that resulted in death without intention to kill. A crime less severely punished than the count of spousal murder, for which Jonathann Daval is on trial until November 20, 2020, and which is punishable by life imprisonment.
Alexia's body dragged "like a common sack of potatoes"
The accused therefore today admits the murder of his wife. His explanation: during the argument with Alexia, it is "the anger of all these years which has emerged (…) Hence the strangulation for it to be silent", he said. Before continuing: "Yes, I did, although still, I have a hard time admitting it "; "When I felt she was sagging, I let go."
According to him, Alexia would have bitten him. It was in icy silence that he justified himself: "The bite, that put me beside myself (…) I made pressure cooker, I overflowed (…). I hit her head twice against the wall before hitting her. I didn't dare admit that I had done that … " Jonathann Daval then carried his wife's body in the trunk of his professional vehicle, dragging it "like a common sack of potatoes".
Extremely harsh words, but expected by the family of the victim, Alexia Fouillot, who has been asking for the truth since the start of this trial. She is now hoping for a life sentence.