Bio

Albert Soleilland was born on January 2, 1881. He grew up in France. He became a carpenter as an adult. He lived in Paris, where he worked at his trade. Albert was seen as an average man in his community.

He married, but details about his wife and their life together remain unclear. Albert's life took a dark turn in January 1907 when he became involved in a tragic and criminal event that would change everything. He was 26 years old at the time.

On January 30, 1907, Albert approached a family friend and offered to take their 11-year-old daughter, Marthe Erbelding, out for the evening, claiming that his wife would accompany them. However, he returned alone, which raised concerns.

His life ended abruptly when he was arrested a few weeks later. Albert was sentenced to death on July 24, 1907, but his sentence was commuted to life in prison in September 1907. He spent the rest of his life in prison until he died in May 1920.

Murder Story

On January 30, 1907, Albert Soleilland, a carpenter, visited the home of his acquaintances, the Erblingers. He told them that his wife was going to a show at the Ba-Ta-Clan. He offered to take their daughter, Marthe, who was 11 years old, with him. Marthe was excited and willingly followed Soleilland.

Later that evening, Soleilland returned alone to the Erblinger home. He claimed his wife could not go to the show and that he had lost track of Marthe in the crowd. Efforts to find Marthe failed until February 14, when Soleilland was pressured by police to answer questions about her disappearance. He then confessed to murdering her.

Soleilland said that when he brought Marthe into his home, he intended to assault her. When she resisted and cried out, he strangled her. Afterward, he dismembered her body and disposed of the remains near the Gare de l'Est.

The police investigation revealed the gruesome details of the crime. The public reacted strongly to the case, with many people attending Marthe's funeral. One hundred thousand people paid their respects as her coffin was taken to the cemetery of Pantin.

During the trial, which took place in July 1907, the Court of Assizes of the Seine found Soleilland guilty and sentenced him to death. The crowd reacted with applause when the verdict was announced. However, on September 13, 1907, President Armand Fallières commuted his sentence to life in prison due to public pressure.

Soleilland was sent to a penal colony in French Guiana. While imprisoned, he attempted to strangle a fellow inmate who refused his advances. In prison, he faced hostility from other inmates, as those guilty of sexual crimes were widely hated. Soleilland suffered from tuberculosis and died alone in a hospital in Kourou in May 1920.