The alleged murderer of Eric Ploussard has been on trial before the Marne Assize Court since Monday. Antonio Martins, 54, is accused of having killed his friend by exploding his testicles before getting rid of his body in the Marne on the night of October 26 to 27, 2019 in Châlons-en-Champagne and fleeing. A case against a background of marginality, alcohol and jealousy. The defendant faces 30 years in prison.
After an opening day of the trial devoted to the constitution of the jury and the hearing of an officer and a police commander in charge of the investigation, this Tuesday, the second day of hearing sees other witnesses succeed each other at the bar: relatives of the victim.
The victim, a generous man with a drinking problem
His ex-girlfriend Dounia* and Kevin*, Eric’s friend and host of the housewarming party organized that night of October 26 when everything changed. They draw a portrait of the victim. Éric Ploussard, 52 on the evening of his death, is described by witnesses as a very educated, very kind and generous man. But it has an alcohol problem : “as soon as he drinks, he can twist“, “he is insistentsaid Kevin,don’t listen to anything or anyone” admits Dounia. He is a daily consumer. With him, always a gourd of whiskey or other. Never a glass in a bar.
Coming from a rather wealthy background, Eric Ploussard studied business. In his twenties, he worked in the world of music in Paris, was fired and with his allowances, offered a trip to Jamaica. There he meets the mother of his only daughter, Ingrid*. Present at the hearing, the 21-year-old young woman today “maintains relatively rare relationships“with his father according to Kevin, but”he is proud that she is studying“. They talk to each other on Facebook. Eric takes advantage of Kevin’s computer to chat with his daughter, because the 50-year-old has no internet or heating at home and has no cell phone or credit card.
At the heart of the conflict: an unhealthy jealousy
The typical description of a misfit. Just like his friend and alleged murderer. Antonio Martins drinks less alcohol than Eric, but he smokes a lot of joints. He grew up alongside a violent father with his mother. As a student, he embarked on a bodywork CAP that he did not validate. Subsequently, he chained jobs until 2016 and then found himself unemployed with the only resource a disabled allowance (AAH).
Another common point binds the two men: Dounia. Since Eric presented them, a year earlier, in 2018, Dounia and Antonio have been cooing. Finally, they maintain a tumultuous relationship, in particular because of the sick jealousy that Antonio feels towards Eric.
The accused has a very strong tendency to victimization, lying and manipulation.
On the evening of the tragedy, Dounia refused to accompany Antonio to Kevin’s housewarming party. “Antonio, Eric and I are not going to do it“, she lets go. Of Antonio, she tells that he “is particularly jealous of EricWhen Kevin visits Eric, Antonio systematically asks him if Dounia was there too. He thinks that she is cheating on him with Eric. Eric, whom she says she knows like the back of her hand. A platonic relationship between exes. According to Kevin, Dounia, for Eric, “It’s from the past“.
But Antonio him, does not hear it that way. Of him, Dounia says that he is impulsive. He bangs his head against the walls, he breaks things. On October 26, the day of the murder, he went so far as to explode a 60-litre aquarium at Dounia’s before going to the housewarming party, his hand bloodied. He wants her to come with him, she doesn’t, he knows that her refusal has something to do with Eric’s presence.
“Chronic” Impulsivity of Antonio Martins is a character trait highlighted by the expert psychologist. The accused also “a very strong tendency to victimization, lying and manipulation“. Contrary to what he says, the accused is not “bipolar”, assures the expert, he does not have a split personality.
Why pull out the testicles? the expert cannot explain it. Even less why Antonio completely undressed Eric before throwing his body into the Marne. Antonio Martins acknowledges his involvement in the death of Eric Ploussard but “shows no shame or responsibility“according to the psychologist. At the opening of the trial, Antonio Martins had no word, no regard for the family of the victim sitting on the bench opposite.
The daughter and the brother of the victim will be heard this Wednesday by the Court of Assizes of the Marne. The verdict is due on Friday.
*Names have been changed