LURS — 1952 · Murder
The Dominici Affair
On the night of 4-5 August 1952, British scientist Sir Jack Drummond, his wife and their 10-year-old daughter were found murdered at their roadside camp near the village of Lurs in southern France, close to La Grand'Terre, a farm owned by the Dominici family. After lengthy interrogation the 75-year-old illiterate farmer confessed and then retracted. Despite the lack of conclusive physical evidence he was sentenced to death in 1954; the sentence was commuted and he was freed by President de Gaulle in 1960. One of France's most controversial cases, it is still debated.
- Date
- 1952
- Place
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France, Lurs, FR
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 43.9700, 5.8800 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 5 August 1952The Drummond family were found dead by the road.
- November 1953The farmer confessed after interrogation, then retracted.
- November 1954Sentenced to death.
- 1960Freed by de Gaulle.
- 1965He died; doubts persisted.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Dominici affair en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Wikipedia — Jack Drummond en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Wikipedia
- Gizmodo
Source grade B: at least one verifiable linked source. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
Related Cases
More cases from the 1950s
Categories
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.