Pistol in a lake gives hope for French cold case
Police investigating the 2012 unsolved murder of a British family and a passing cyclist in France have a new lead after British tourists discovered a Luger pistol in Lake Annecy. The victims were shot with a Luger P06, and forensic experts are now examining the badly damaged weapon found near the al-Hilli family's camping site to determine if it's the same model.
Why it matters
This discovery could potentially provide a crucial breakthrough in a high-profile, long-unsolved murder case, offering hope for justice to the victims' families after 14 years.
Image source, Central News and Pictures Image caption, Saad al-Hilli was shot dead with his wife and mother-in-law in September 2012
Police investigating the unsolved murder of a British family in France 14 years ago have an unexpected new clue with the discovery of a Luger pistol in the waters of a nearby lake.
One of the few certainties in the killings of Saad al-Hilli with his wife and mother-in-law – as well as a passing cyclist – is that they were shot through the head with a Luger model P06, a type used by the Swiss army until around 1960.
Now France's cold case unit has confirmed the discovery of a Luger in Lake Annecy, not far from the scene of the murders in September 2012.
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