The case began in a villa in Arcachon on a hot night in July 1987. It is 2 o’clock in the morning. Dominique, 35, sleeps soundly with her six-year-old daughter by her side. The young engineer wakes up with a start, sensing an unusual presence inside the bedroom. A stranger is there, squatting in front of her bed, he observes her in silence. Dominique sits up, a gloved hand grips her violently: “don’t move, otherwise…”. He ties her hands then demands to know where she hides her money. The stranger pretends to search the house, Dominique believes he is dealing with a burglar until he comes back and demands that she perform oral sex on him. Fearing for her life and that of her little girl, the young woman suffered other assaults from the attacker who ended up fleeing through the French window overlooking the garden. Electricity and telephone were cut off. Shocked, Dominique takes refuge with the neighbor, the alert is given.
A well-oiled modus operandi
Unfortunately for the police, the clues are scant: the attacker left no footprints, the young woman is unable to describe her face. The investigation slips and the months pass. In March and then in November 1988, the rapist struck again in the same way in two residences close to the sea front. ‘is possible. The criminal’s modus operandi has earned him the nickname of the Cat: forcing a window or taking advantage of an open door, he strikes exclusively at night between 2 and 4 am, fleeing through the roofs thanks to exceptional agility. According to the police, the man spots his prey at random in the street, he follows them to their home and then observes them for a long time, ensuring the absence or departure of their spouse. Ultimate detail, the Cat knows perfectly the topography of the homes of its victims.