Thierry Paulin was born on November 28, 1963, in Fort-de-France, Martinique. His father left for metropolitan France shortly after his birth. This left his teenaged mother to care for him alone. Paulin was raised by his paternal grandmother, who owned a restaurant. She reportedly did not pay much attention to him. When he was ten years old, he began to live with his mother, who had since married. He tried to fit in with his step-siblings, but his behavior began to become erratic and violent towards other children. Eventually, his mother asked his father to take him to metropolitan France. He agreed, likely to avoid paying alimony.

In metropolitan France, Paulin faced challenges. He was a mixed-race student among primarily white peers and had few friends. His school performance was poor, and he failed his exams. At the age of 17, Paulin decided to enter the military early and joined the logistics branch of the airborne forces. However, he encountered discrimination there because of his race and sexuality.

After leaving the army, Paulin discovered that his mother and her family lived in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris. He moved there but had a difficult relationship with them. Seeking a new start, he became a waiter at a nightclub called Paradis Latin. This venue was known for its drag shows, and Paulin began performing there as a drag artist. His mother attended one of his performances but left shortly after it began.

At the nightclub, Paulin met Jean-Thierry Mathurin, a 19-year-old from French Guiana. They became lovers, both engaging in drug use. In November 1982, when Paulin was just 19, he was arrested for robbing an elderly woman in a grocery store. He was sentenced to two years in prison in 1983, but his sentence was suspended, allowing him to remain free.

Thierry Paulin was active as a serial killer in France during the 1980s. His first known murders occurred on October 5, 1984, when two elderly women were attacked in Paris. One survived, but the other, Anna Barbier-Ponthus, was killed. Over the next few months, from October to November 1984, eight more elderly women were murdered in similar violent circumstances.

The brutality of these crimes was evident. Some victims were beaten to death, and others suffered from asphyxiation. Most had been robbed. Paulin’s pattern involved targeting elderly women and, according to reports, he chose those who appeared unfriendly or vulnerable.

In December 1985, a second wave of murders began. Between then and June 1986, eight more elderly women were killed. While the police had some evidence connecting these murders to Paulin, they struggled to identify him until the murders became less brutal.

In 1986, Paulin was arrested for assaulting a drug dealer. He spent time in prison and was released knowing he was HIV-positive. This diagnosis seemed to intensify his actions, leading to even more killings.

The series of murders peaked in November 1987 when Paulin killed Rachel Cohen and assaulted another elderly woman, Berthe Finalteri. Two days later, he killed Geneviève Germont. Following these crimes, Finalteri managed to recover and provided police with a description of her attacker.

On December 1, 1987, Paulin was arrested after a police officer recognized him from the description. In police custody, Paulin confessed to the murders, claiming responsibility for 21. He was held in jail while awaiting trial for these crimes.

In early 1988, Paulin's health declined due to AIDS, and he died on April 16, 1989, in a prison hospital. Paulin was never officially tried or convicted for the murders, while his accomplice, Jean-Thierry Mathurin, was sentenced for the earlier crimes and was released in 2012.