Gaston Dominici was born on February 12, 1877, in southeastern France. He was a peasant farmer who managed La Grand'Terre, a modest farm near the village of Lurs in the Basses-Alpes region (now Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). Dominici was known as a hardworking man, deeply rooted in his rural community. He was illiterate and spoke primarily in the Provençal dialect, which later posed challenges during legal proceedings. Gaston lived with his extended family, including his wife Marie, son Gustave, daughter-in-law Yvette, and their children. The family led a simple life, tending to their farm and livestock.

On the night of August 4, 1952, the British Drummond family—Sir Jack, his wife Anne, and their 10-year-old daughter Elizabeth—were traveling through France on holiday. They decided to camp overnight beside their green Hillman estate car (registration NNK 686) near La Grand'Terre, the Dominici family farm.

In the early hours of August 5, all three family members were brutally murdered. Sir Jack and Anne were shot with a Rock-Ola M1 carbine, while Elizabeth was found bludgeoned to death approximately 77 meters away, near the Durance River. The murder weapon's barrel was later discovered in the river, with the stock found downstream, suggesting an attempt to dispose of evidence.

Gaston Dominici was arrested on November 16, 1953, after a protracted investigation that included conflicting testimonies and alleged confessions. His trial began in November 1954, drawing significant media attention. Despite the lack of concrete evidence and concerns over the fairness of the trial—especially given Dominici's language barrier and illiteracy—he was convicted on November 28, 1954, and sentenced to death by guillotine.

Public outcry and doubts about the integrity of the investigation led to President René Coty commuting Dominici's sentence to life imprisonment in 1957. Later, on July 14, 1960, President Charles de Gaulle ordered his release on humanitarian grounds due to his advanced age and declining health. Gaston Dominici died on April 4, 1965, without ever receiving a retrial or official pardon. The case remains one of France's most controversial and debated criminal cases, often cited in discussions about judicial errors and the complexities of rural justice.