The discovery of Philippine’s body: A macabre discovery took place on September 21, 2024, in the Bois de Boulogne, in western Paris. The body of Philippine, a 19-year-old student, was discovered during a search organized by her family near Paris Dauphine University.
An investigation is underway. The young woman had not been heard from since the previous day. According to initial reports, the Paris prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation for “voluntary homicide.” This weekend, she was due to return to her parents’ home in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines after lunch at her university’s student cafeteria.
Key Witnesses: Having received no news of Philippine since early afternoon, her family resigned themselves to reporting her missing to the police. The following day, the student’s family organized a search in the Bois de Boulogne. They were the ones who discovered the young woman’s body, partially buried. This detail reminded several witnesses of a man seen near the area where Philippine was found.
The cause of Philippine’s death remains unknown. According to Le Figaro, forensic investigators found “multiple signs of abuse and injuries” on Philippine’s body. However, the cause of the student’s death remains unknown. An autopsy was performed on September 22, but the medical examiner’s report is still pending.
A man’s profile has been reported. According to a source close to the investigation, witnesses claim to have seen a man not far from where the young girl was found. These witnesses approached investigators to provide a description of the man they saw heading towards the lake in the Bois de Boulogne on September 20th, the day Philippine disappeared.
A suspicious man carrying a pickaxe was seen at the crime scene. He was reportedly carrying a pickaxe and wearing a surgical mask. However, witnesses stated that this potential suspect was a dark-haired man approximately 1.80 meters tall. These details have led investigators to focus on this lead.
Murder of 19-year-old Philippine: What was the murderer’s motive? The question of motive is also puzzling. Did Philippine know her murderer? Was she the victim of a bad encounter? “Apparently, the young woman had no reason to go to the back of her university. The RER station, where line C runs towards Yvelines, is on the other side,” Le Parisien points out.
No arrests have been made so far. On the day of her disappearance and presumably her murder, the young woman, 1.60 meters tall with blue eyes, was wearing a pink t-shirt, a wool vest, and white sneakers. According to a source close to the investigation, speaking to BFMTV, no arrests have been made so far.
Philippine’s Disappearance: Support Measures Put in Place by the Student’s University. In response to this tragedy, Paris Dauphine University issued a statement expressing its sorrow over the murder of Philippine. “It is with profound sadness that we learned this Saturday, September 21st, of the tragic death of Philippine, a third-year undergraduate student in economics and financial engineering.” A psychological support unit will be offered to assist the young woman’s family and friends.
A minute of silence will also be observed this Monday, September 23, at 1:30 p.m. in the university building, its president confirmed. “A space for reflection will be set up after this ceremony in the third-floor lobby where everyone can leave messages of support, tributes, or flowers.” For now, the investigation continues to find the murderer of 19-year-old Philippine.