The article discusses the tragic discovery of 15-year-old Lina’s body in a stream near Sermoise-sur-Loire, a year after her disappearance. Despite the identification of her presumed murderer, Samuel Gonin, who committed suicide before questioning, many questions remain unanswered regarding her death. The investigation revealed key evidence, including DNA and her handbag found in Gonin’s vehicle. A heartfelt tribute from her cousin highlights the family’s mourning as they grapple with their loss and seek closure amidst ongoing inquiries.
A dense forest flanks a departmental road, and it was here, near Sermoise-sur-Loire in Nièvre, that the lifeless body of Lina was found in a stream on October 16, after over a year of investigation. This somber discovery came 500 kilometers away from the Bas-Rhin area, where the 15-year-old was last seen. The poignant details of this case were covered in a report by ‘Sept à Huit,’ aired on TF1.
In the wake of this heart-wrenching finding, Lina’s family is now grieving, choosing to remain off-camera during the ‘Sept à Huit’ segment. However, Louane, her cousin and closest confidante, shared a heartfelt letter honoring her cousin, from which the following excerpt is taken:
‘Lina,
[…] Hope, I held onto it […]. A Christmas passed without you […], then a birthday […]. I imagined you’d be right beside me […]. On October 16, 2024, I was in school […]. Then came the messages: ‘Louane, be strong, stay brave.’ Those words will stay with me forever […]. It’s true, you were gone […]. Now you are an angel in heaven, at peace, watching over us, my dear star. I love you endlessly.’
Lina disappeared on the morning of September 23, 2023, after recently turning 15. While her body’s discovery concludes some mysteries surrounding her disappearance, significant questions persist. The main suspect in her case, Samuel Gonin, a 43-year-old diagnosed with bipolar disorder, has been identified. Unfortunately, he took his own life on July 10 before he could be questioned by the authorities. Investigators hope the autopsy will reveal crucial information about her death. Was she subjected to violence? Currently, the main source of information for investigators is the route taken by the suspect’s vehicle.
Tracing the Main Suspect’s Route
The ‘Sept à Huit’ team examined the route followed by the accused prior to the crime. For months, investigators have meticulously compared witness testimonies with CCTV footage from the vicinity of Lina’s disappearance. In June 2024, nine months post-disappearance, they located a suspicious car in a pound in Narbonne, Aude, nearly 900 kilometers from where Lina was last seen. The grey Ford Puma, reported as stolen from Germany four weeks before Lina vanished, had been kept there since January 2024.
To preserve potential evidence, authorities initially refrained from searching the vehicle. In late June, the car was sent to the Gendarmerie’s Criminal Research Institute for further examination. While waiting for forensic results, the suspect, who had driven the car upon its removal, was not immediately detained. The investigation turned secretive as the gendarmes focused on him. Notably, before Lina’s disappearance, he had left his job, ceased bipolar treatment, and began using drugs, living a nomadic lifestyle. Tragically, on July 10, Gonin took his life, leaving behind a letter that stated: ‘I’ve lost my honor, my dignity, and my humanity. I must go. I cannot control myself. Everything is unraveling too quickly, and I suffer too much; this is the better option.’
Gonin’s farewell did not mention Lina. Fifteen days after his death, forensic results from the grey Ford Puma indicated vital evidence. Lina’s handbag was discovered in the glove compartment, and DNA belonging to her, coinciding with the suspect’s, was found on a rope in the trunk and in the back seat. Though questioning him was impossible, the gendarmes managed to extract crucial data from the vehicle’s black box, revealing that at 11:26 a.m., the moment Lina’s phone lost signal, Gonin was indeed in the vicinity.
Samuel Gonin was the sole individual present at the crime scene.