Bio

Jean Lanfray was born around 1873 or 1874. He was French by birth but lived in Commugny, a village in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. By 1905, he was working as a laborer and vineyard worker. Historical accounts describe him as a working-class man whose daily life centered on farm labor, vineyard work, and village routines.

Lanfray lived with his wife and two young daughters in a farmhouse. His parents and brother lived nearby or in the same household arrangement, according to later accounts of the case. His daughters were named Rose and Blanche. His wife was pregnant at the time of the murders, a fact that became known after the killings and added to the public reaction surrounding the case.

Before the murders, Lanfray was known to drink heavily. The case later became famous because of absinthe, but the available historical accounts show that he had consumed many types of alcohol on the day of the killings, including wine, brandy, cognac, crème de menthe, and absinthe. This detail became important because the public and press focused heavily on the absinthe, even though the amount of other alcohol he drank that day was much larger.

By August 1905, Lanfray’s household had reportedly experienced tension, including arguments connected to money, domestic duties, and his drinking. On August 28, 1905, those tensions ended in a fatal domestic attack that killed his wife and children and later became one of the most widely discussed alcohol-related criminal cases in Europe.

Murder Story

On August 28, 1905, Jean Lanfray spent the day drinking while he worked. He drank several kinds of alcohol, including wine, brandy, cognac, and absinthe. Later reports focused mostly on the absinthe, but he had also consumed a large amount of other alcohol that day.

After returning home to Commugny, Switzerland, Lanfray argued with his wife. The argument was reportedly about his demand for her to polish or wax his boots. During the argument, he got a rifle and shot his wife in the head, killing her. She was pregnant at the time.

After that, Lanfray shot his two young daughters, Rose and Blanche. Rose was about 4 years old, and Blanche was about 2 years old. He then tried to kill himself by shooting himself in the jaw, but he survived.

Lanfray was found alive after his father alerted authorities. He was taken for medical treatment and later recovered enough to stand trial.

His trial took place on February 23, 1906. His defense argued that absinthe had affected his mind and helped cause the murders. The prosecutor argued that Lanfray had drunk many other alcoholic drinks that day, so absinthe alone should not be blamed. Lanfray was found guilty of the murders and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Three days later, on February 26, 1906, he died by suicide in his prison cell.

The case became known as the “absinthe murder.” It caused public fear about absinthe in Switzerland and other parts of Europe. Many people blamed the drink for the killings, even though Lanfray had consumed several kinds of alcohol. The case helped lead to absinthe being banned in Switzerland.