a judicial investigation for murder opened by the Toulouse public prosecutor’s office

Justice took the decision to investigate following the analysis of the phone found near the body of Florian Géraud and the conclusion of toxicological analyses.

The Toulouse public prosecutor’s office opened a judicial investigation for murder on Wednesday, after the death of a Frenchman, Florian Géraud, in Paraguay on January 4, according to information from franceinfo obtained from the Toulouse prosecutor on Thursday January 18. French justice considers that there are elements which make it possible to direct the investigation towards a murder. Before opening this judicial investigation, justice was awaiting the result of the analysis of the data from Florian Géraud’s phone found near the body and the conclusion of the toxicological analyses.

Until now, the Paraguayan judicial authorities – cited in local media – who carried out the autopsy of Florian Géraud indicated that“there is no evidence to suggest that there was intervention by other people” and lean towards the suicide theory. The death of this man occurred following mechanical asphyxiation, specify the judicial authorities of Paraguay.

Gone to see a friend and go sightseeing

This judicial information, which leads an investigating judge to carry out the investigations, was opened after the filing of a complaint for homicide by the parents of Florian Géraud. His body was discovered hanged on January 4 in a former disused pizzeria in the capital of Paraguay, franceinfo learned from the family. This 43-year-old man disappeared on New Year’s Eve, after arriving in this South American country on December 11, 2023. He had come to spend a month there with a very good friend. He planned to go sightseeing and make a documentary about an indigenous people.

On New Year’s Eve, Florian Géraud had just spent the evening with his Paraguayan friend and relatives. At 3 a.m., the guests left tired. His friend joined his fiancée, he remained alone at home. On video surveillance images collected from neighbors and broadcast by the local press, we see Florian Géraud, in shorts and flip-flops, leaving the house around 3 a.m., heading towards the south of the city and returning around 4 a.m. . At 4:57 a.m., he leaves again heading north but will not return. Florian Géraud was found four days later hanged, sitting on a chair in a squat several kilometers away.