A 20-year-old woman is on trial in northeastern France for the murder of a man she referred to as a “sucker,” after hiding his body in a closet following the crime. Camille Anguenot, who was 18 at the time, met 23-year-old Theo Decouchan at a nightclub in November 2021. She later invited him to her home in Oiselay-et-Grachaux, where the tragic incident unfolded.
During the trial, Anguenot calmly confessed to the killing, stating, “I take responsibility.” According to her account, the two had fallen asleep together that night, but she awoke to Decouchan trying to caress her. When his advances became more persistent, she responded by pushing him away and then punching him three times.
In what she described as a “moment of madness,” Anguenot grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Decouchan in the stomach. Not stopping there, she retrieved a fabric dress belt from her room and strangled him as he lay on his side, trying unsuccessfully to free himself. “Everything happened very quickly,” she said.
After the murder, Anguenot took steps to cover her tracks. She disposed of Decouchan’s belongings and sent him a misleading text message that read, “Thanks for last night, it was really good. Drive safe and see you soon.” Over the next few days, she visited two other men, including a lover in Bordeaux and another in Dijon, while using Decouchan’s car and bank card, despite not having a driver’s license. She even went as far as changing the car’s license plates.
When she finally returned home, she wrapped Decouchan’s body in garbage bags, sealed them with tape, and locked the corpse in her living room closet. As his family grew concerned about his disappearance, Anguenot continued to lie, telling his sister that he had left after their evening together and even shared a missing person’s post on Facebook. Police discovered Decouchan’s decomposing body a week after the murder.
In custody, Anguenot appeared detached, referring to Decouchan as a “sucker” and admitting she enjoyed using men for their money. The victim’s family lawyer, Christophe Bernard, rejected the idea that Decouchan had tried to assault her, stating that he was “infatuated with her” and fell victim to her “perversity.” Bernard further argued that she lured him to her home with the intention of taking his car to meet a new boyfriend.
The court is now tasked with determining whether Anguenot acted with full awareness of her actions. One psychiatric evaluation described her as having a “temperamental personality,” while another highlighted “psychopathic traits” that could have impacted her judgment. If convicted, she faces up to 30 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter, theft, and fraud. The verdict is expected to be delivered on Friday.
