Overview: The Tarn Assises Hear from Delphine’s Family
The trial of Cédric Jubillar, the painter-plasterer accused of murdering his wife Delphine Jubillar-Aussaguel, continues at the cour d’assises of the Tarn. Delphine, a 33-year-old nurse who worked night shifts, vanished in December 2020 from her home in Cagnac-les-Mines near Albi. With her body still missing, jurors are weighing the statements of family members, investigators, and forensic experts as the prosecution and defense present their cases. On Tuesday, the elder sister of the missing woman addressed the court, offering a stark portrayal of the accused and underscoring the emotional stakes of the proceedings.
The Sister’s Testimony and Family Claims
During a moment at the stand, she stated in English translation: “He’s a liar. I could never fully trust him.” She added that he was “violent in the way he raised our son Louis,” a remark that reflects long-standing tensions within the family and adds to the emotional charge of the courtroom. Other relatives are expected to testify in the coming days, providing their accounts of Delphine’s relationship with her husband and the events surrounding her disappearance. The family hopes their testimonies might persuade Cédric Jubillar to offer a confession or at least share new details about what happened that night.
What the Trial Has Revealed So Far
Earlier in the week, the defense challenged statements from Dominique Alzéari, the former Toulouse prosecutor who announced Delphine’s case and the investigation in 2021. The defense argued that certain details had to be corrected, with lawyer Alexandre Martin insisting that “a number of truths” needed reestablishment. The exchange underscored the ongoing clash between prosecutors, defense counsel, and the witnesses who shape the narrative around the disappearance. The courtroom has also heard from forensic and ADN experts, who described the results of tests on various items linked to the night of Delphine’s disappearance, though no single finding has conclusively proven guilt or innocence.
The Disappearance and the Evidence
Delphine Jubillar-Aussaguel, a mother of a young child, disappeared on the night of December 15-16, 2020, from her home in Cagnac-les-Mines, a village near Albi. The case occurred during Christmas preparations and under a curfew, complicating the investigation. Despite extensive searches in the days that followed, no trace of Delphine was found. Investigators studied items from the night, including a pajama worn by the accused, a duvet, and a duvet cover, as part of a broader evidentiary mosaic. To date, these materials have not yielded a decisive link to an act of violence or to the location of Delphine’s remains, but they remain central to the jurors’ task of evaluating the credibility and relevance of the physical evidence in the broader context of witness testimony.
Next Steps for Civil Parties and the Court
The civil parties, whose emotional responses have colored earlier proceedings, will continue to recount their experiences and what they believed to have happened in the weeks and months surrounding Delphine’s disappearance. Laurent de Caunes, a lawyer representing one of Delphine’s brothers, emphasized the importance of letting family members speak about the circumstances surrounding the disappearance, noting that they “knew Delphine very well” and can offer perspectives that may illuminate the case more fully for the jury.
Context and Implications for a Case That Remains Unresolved
The Tarn assizes have drawn national attention as the couple’s story unfolds more than four years after the disappearance. The absence of Delphine’s body continues to complicate the legal narrative and heightens the significance of every testimony given at the bar. As prosecutors, defense lawyers, and civil parties present their arguments, jurors are tasked with weighing an array of testimonies and forensic details to determine whether the charges against Cédric Jubillar meet the threshold for conviction beyond reasonable doubt. The case remains a focal point for those following unresolved criminal mysteries in France, with the family’s quest for truth at its heart.
Conclusion: The Trial Goes On
As the proceedings move into new days of testimony, the central questions endure: what happened on that night in December 2020, and did the accused have any role in Delphine’s disappearance? The family’s presence at the bar underscores their longing for answers and closure after years of uncertainty. The Tarn assises will continue to hear from relatives, investigators, and experts as they piece together a complex mosaic in a case that remains unresolved.
