Serial killer Michel Fourniret has finally "confessed" to murdering British language student Joanna Parrish in France nearly three decades ago, the family lawyer told AFP on Friday.
Jailed for life in 2008 for killing seven girls, Fourniret was dubbed the Ogre of the Ardennes.
He was interviewed last by two instructing magistrates in Paris and, according to lawyer Didier Seban, admitted murdering the 20-year-old Parrish and French teenager Marie-Angele Domece.
"He made detailed and repeated confessions. He clearly recognises, and this several times over, having killed Joanna Parrish and Marie-Angele Domece," Seban said.
"It's a new development, a resolution of the affair, it seems, in a remarkable way," he added.
"It's hard (for the family) but the end of a long legal battle."
Parrish had been working as a language assistant at a secondary school in Auxerre, in the Burgundy region.
Seban said he hoped a trial would soon go ahead now.
Paris prosecutors would not comment on the revelations with investigations under way.
Fourniret's lawyer made no comment when contacted by AFP.
Parrish's body was found on May 17, 1990, soon after she disappeared. She had been raped and beaten, the autopsy found.
Domece, who was mentally handicapped, disappeared July 8, 1988, and her body has never been located.
Fourniret was charged in 2008 with kidnapping and murdering the two girls but the court of appeal dismissed the case on September 14, 2011.
Fourniret's wife Monique Olivier had twice accused him of the two unsolved murders but later retracted.
"Monique Olivier will in turn have to be questioned," Seban added.
Fourniret had always denied involvement in the two cases, including during his trial in the northern Ardennes area where he was found guilty on May 28, 2008, of murdering seven girls.
Olivier was found guilty of complicity in five murders and jailed for life with an order that she serve at least 28 years behind bars.
In June 2012, the court of appeal in Paris cancelled the dismissal order on Fourniret and asked for investigations to resume based on new leads.
Serial killer Michel Fourniret has finally “confessed” to murdering British language student Joanna Parrish in France nearly three decades ago, the family lawyer told AFP on Friday.
Jailed for life in 2008 for killing seven girls, Fourniret was dubbed the Ogre of the Ardennes.
He was interviewed last by two instructing magistrates in Paris and, according to lawyer Didier Seban, admitted murdering the 20-year-old Parrish and French teenager Marie-Angele Domece.
“He made detailed and repeated confessions. He clearly recognises, and this several times over, having killed Joanna Parrish and Marie-Angele Domece,” Seban said.
“It’s a new development, a resolution of the affair, it seems, in a remarkable way,” he added.
“It’s hard (for the family) but the end of a long legal battle.”
Parrish had been working as a language assistant at a secondary school in Auxerre, in the Burgundy region.
Seban said he hoped a trial would soon go ahead now.
Paris prosecutors would not comment on the revelations with investigations under way.
Fourniret’s lawyer made no comment when contacted by AFP.
Parrish’s body was found on May 17, 1990, soon after she disappeared. She had been raped and beaten, the autopsy found.
Domece, who was mentally handicapped, disappeared July 8, 1988, and her body has never been located.
Fourniret was charged in 2008 with kidnapping and murdering the two girls but the court of appeal dismissed the case on September 14, 2011.
Fourniret’s wife Monique Olivier had twice accused him of the two unsolved murders but later retracted.
“Monique Olivier will in turn have to be questioned,” Seban added.
Fourniret had always denied involvement in the two cases, including during his trial in the northern Ardennes area where he was found guilty on May 28, 2008, of murdering seven girls.
Olivier was found guilty of complicity in five murders and jailed for life with an order that she serve at least 28 years behind bars.
In June 2012, the court of appeal in Paris cancelled the dismissal order on Fourniret and asked for investigations to resume based on new leads.
