Bio

Jean-Laurent Olivier was born in 1944 in the Aisne region of France. He had a difficult start in life as he was abandoned by his mother when he was very young. After that, he was placed in the care of a wet nurse through public assistance. At the age of 15, he was sent to work as a farmhand in Montlevon.

Olivier worked hard on the farm, which covered 70 hectares of land. The land was not very fertile, but he tried to make it more productive. His employers noticed that he was a diligent worker, but they were also wary of him. Oliver sometimes showed sudden fits of anger, which made people uncomfortable. Despite this, he was considered handsome, and a farm girl named Yvette soon developed feelings for him. They eventually got married when Yvette became pregnant.

After the wedding, Olivier’s attitude began to change. He wanted to be in charge of the farm and began to act aggressively towards those he perceived as threats to his authority, including some family members. He was very demanding of himself and worked long hours in the fields, often getting up early and going to bed late. By the age of 23, he owned a significant amount of land and rented out additional fields to expand his farming operations. He also accumulated some debt for farming equipment, which he managed to pay off due to his strong work ethic.

Throughout his early years, he was often described as rough and stubborn. The young people who were sometimes placed in his care did not have fond memories of him. Although he was hardworking, he had a controlling personality. The only person with whom he had a close relationship was his son.

On June 17, 1967, Olivier was working in the fields when he saw two children playing nearby. They were Pierrette and Lucien Demarle, the children of a neighbor. Olivier spoke with them briefly, and then, for reasons that were never understood, he acted violently. That day marked a turning point in both his life and the lives of the Demarle family.

Murder Story

On June 17, 1967, in Montlevon, Picardy, France, Jean-Laurent Olivier was driving his tractor in a field when he saw two children playing. The children were Pierrette Demarle, 12, and her brother Lucien, 10. Olivier approached them, and they did not feel alarmed, as they knew him.

After a short conversation, Olivier asked Lucien to come with him to the tractor, which was hidden by a small wood. Moments later, he returned alone, taking Pierrette by the hand. That evening, when their father returned home, he found that the children had not come back. Panic set in, and the villagers began to search for the children.

The search continued into the next day. A farmer discovered the bodies of Pierrette and Lucien in a thicket not far from where they were last seen. Both children had been strangled. It was also found that Pierrette had been raped.

The police grew suspicious of Olivier after he mentioned seeing a blue Renault 4L near the woods. After questioning him, he confessed to the crimes after 48 hours, stating he did not know why he acted that way.

Olivier's trial began in September 1968. He was found guilty of murder without any mitigating circumstances and was sentenced to death. His lawyers appealed for clemency to President De Gaulle, but their request was denied.

On March 11, 1969, Olivier was executed by guillotine at Amiens prison. This was the last execution carried out under De Gaulle's presidency.