A woman has been sentenced to eight months suspended imprisonment for destroying twelve master paintings worth an estimated 10.8 million euros ($11.7 million) at her ex-partner's villa in La Croix-Valmer, near Saint-Tropez. The devastating attack, which took place on September 27, lasted only three minutes but caused irreparable damage to valuable artworks.
The defendant, identified as Leydis, allegedly acted out of romantic spite after learning that her former partner Stéphane (name changed) was in a new relationship. Despite her denials, the court found her guilty based on compelling evidence that pointed to her intimate knowledge of the property and the victim's schedule.
The speed and precision of the attack convinced authorities of Leydis's guilt. She knew exactly when Stéphane would be absent from the villa and navigated through five different rooms without hesitation, strategically turning her face away from surveillance cameras at crucial moments. Remarkably, she managed to avoid alerting the border collie that guards the property and took nothing from the premises, focusing solely on destroying the valuable paintings.
Forensic evidence strongly supported the prosecution's case. DNA traces belonging to Leydis were discovered on a section of lowered fencing and on a sofa near three damaged artworks. Additionally, cell phone geolocation data placed her in the immediate vicinity of Stéphane's home at 4 p.m., precisely when the paintings were slashed.
The couple's troubled relationship history provided context for the crime. Though they had been separated for three years, Leydis and Stéphane had maintained periodic intimate relations, including as recently as August 31, even though he was already involved with someone else. Leydis admitted to subsequently flooding Stéphane with insulting phone calls. According to Stéphane, Leydis only learned about his new relationship on September 26, when he came to Nice to pick up their daughter for the weekend.
The timing of the attack was particularly calculated. On September 27, Stéphane had to take his daughter to her horseback riding lesson, and it was during this absence that Leydis allegedly committed the crime. Presiding Judge Alexandre Moussa noted suspicious behavior: "You knew that the gentleman would not be there at that precise time because you had taken care to call the equestrian center the day before to find out your daughter's training schedule, which had never happened before."
Leydis maintained her innocence, claiming she was in La Croix-Valmer to buy a mirror from private individuals and had hoped to see her daughter. She explained that she missed her daughter by just a few minutes and passed by her ex-partner's home on the way to purchase the furniture. However, the prosecution questioned this explanation, asking why she would travel all the way from Nice to La Croix-Valmer for a mirror when she could have found one closer to home.
Defense attorney Laura Severin argued that there were other potential suspects and highlighted gaps in the evidence. Initially, Stéphane had suspected his cousin, with whom he was involved in a dismissal lawsuit worth 800,000 euros, or a craftsman he had recently had disputes with. The defense also pointed out that no DNA was found on the actual paintings or on the box cutter discovered at the scene, suggesting reasonable doubt.
Despite these arguments, the court was convinced of Leydis's guilt based on the overwhelming circumstantial evidence and her intimate knowledge of the property and Stéphane's routine. However, the court did acquit her of malicious calling charges due to lack of repeated behavior. The 40-year-old woman will learn the exact amount of compensation she must pay to her former partner on June 17 of next year, when damages will be formally assessed.
