Christophe Ellul, the victim’s partner and owner of the dog Curtis, will be tried for involuntary manslaughter

The Soissons public prosecutor’s office announced on Tuesday, August 20, the referral of Christophe Ellul to the criminal court for “involuntary manslaughter” after the death of his partner Elisa Pilarski from dog bites in a forest in Aisne at the end of 2019. As part of the judicial investigation, the investigating judge issued on August 16 “a closing order, in accordance with the requests of the public prosecutor”, ordering the referral of Christophe Ellul to the court.

Elisa Pilarski, aged 29 and pregnant, was found dead on 16 November 2019 in a forest in Aisne, in Saint-Pierre d’Aigle, where she was walking Curtis near a hunting ground, after a “bleeding following multiple bites”according to the autopsy. The investigation had allowed “to rule out the hypothesis of an attack on the young woman by the hunting dogs”the prosecution had specified in May. Only the dog Curtis, belonging to Christophe Ellul, was identified as being the cause of the injuries that caused the victim’s death.

The accused has “left in custody” from his companion a “dangerous dog, while she was pregnant and did not fully understand its behavior”thus making him run “a serious risk”added the prosecution. Christophe Ellul had been indicted in March 2021 “for having through clumsiness, imprudence, inattention, negligence or failure to comply with an obligation of prudence or safety (…) unintentionally caused death” of his partner. He has always maintained his dog’s innocence. According to the prosecutor, he faces 10 years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros. The trial date will be announced later.