Alexandra Lefevre was originally from the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. By the late 1990s, she had entered into a relationship with David Hotyat, with whom she later moved to the Ain department, and then finally to Le Grand-Bornand in the French Alps in 2001. The couple settled in a chalet rented from Xavier Flactif, a successful property developer and landlord in the upscale ski resort town.

Lefevre worked as a cleaner for the Flactif family for a period and was familiar with their home and lifestyle. Over time, she and Hotyat developed an intense resentment toward their landlords, reportedly triggered by jealousy, class differences, and personal grievances. The Flactif family’s wealth and high-end lifestyle were in stark contrast to the modest means of the Hotyat-Lefevre couple, who struggled financially and reportedly engaged in local thefts and minor arson prior to the murders.

Alexandra reportedly voiced strong resentment toward the Flactifs in interviews and private conversations, accusing them of arrogance, dishonesty, and shady dealings.

On 11 April 2003, David Hotyat murdered Xavier Flactif, his partner Graziella Ortolano, and their three children—Sarah (10), Lætitia (9), and Grégory (7)—at their chalet in Le Grand-Bornand. Though the murders were carried out by Hotyat, Alexandra Lefevre played a critical role in the events leading up to and following the killings.

According to investigators and court testimony, Lefevre helped plan the attack, encouraged Hotyat’s growing hatred of the Flactif family, and aided in covering up the murders. Evidence found in their home included stolen electronics, DVDs, and computers from the Flactifs. Investigators also tied her to efforts to clean up evidence, as well as participation in conversations and planning sessions with Stéphane and Isabelle Haremza, a couple who were also convicted of complicity.

Lefevre’s exact role in the physical crime remains disputed, but she was considered by investigators and the court as the “mastermind” behind the killings, influencing Hotyat and stoking his desire for revenge. According to reports, she watched a documentary on serial killer Alfredo Stranieri with Hotyat just months before the murders, which allegedly planted the idea of killing the entire family.

The motive was largely attributed to jealousy and resentment, compounded by ongoing financial disputes, perceived disrespect, and a longing to live a life like that of the Flactifs. The murders were brutal: the family was shot and beaten to death, their bodies transported to a forest in Thônes, and burned to conceal the crime.

After the murders, Lefevre made public appearances—including on French television—where she voiced suspicion and criticism of the Flactif family, presenting herself as a concerned neighbor. This façade collapsed after her arrest on 16 September 2003, following phone taps and forensic evidence linking her and Hotyat to the scene.

On 30 June 2006, Alexandra Lefevre was convicted of complicity in premeditated murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Assize Court of Haute-Savoie. Her role as an instigator and planner of the crime was weighed heavily, even though she did not physically commit the murders.

Unlike her partner, she did not appeal the sentence. Considering time served since 2003 and French parole regulations, Lefevre is presumed to have been released around or shortly after 2013.

She, along with Hotyat and the Haremza couple, was also convicted in separate trials for setting fire to a chalet under construction (owned by the Flactifs) and for a series of local thefts and burglaries—further proving her pattern of criminal behavior tied to envy and material desire.