Anri Landru Irresistible seducer of lonely women Date of Birth: 12.04.1869 Country: France

Biography of Henri Landru

Early Life
Henri Desire Landru was born on April 12, 1869, in Paris. He attended a church school and was a capable and diligent student. He was loved by everyone, sang in the church choir, and was devout enough to consider becoming a church servant. However, even as a young boy, he engaged in a rather macabre side job at night: catching cats on the streets, killing them, and selling their skins to a trader specialized in rheumatism belts.

Adulthood
At the age of twenty, Landru was called up for military service and became a disciplined soldier, eventually achieving the rank of sergeant. After being demobilized, he made a living through various odd jobs, mostly involving small-scale fraud. He later acquired a second-hand clothing store, which eventually turned him into a respectable dealer of second-hand goods. Landru married a reputable laundress named Marie-Catherine, and they had four children together: Marie, Maurice, Suzanne, and Charles. He was a good and caring father and a attentive husband, faithfully fulfilling his family obligations and sharing his spoils with his unsuspecting family.

The Serial Killer
Henri Desire Landru was an unusual murderer. He meticulously recorded all of his crimes, like a meticulous accountant, noting every expense, date, and characteristics of his victims. He stored his love letters and correspondence in folders. His main document was a notebook, which eventually helped the police to uncover the extent of his monstrous crimes.

The Investigation
The deeper Inspector Belenu, who led the investigation into Landru's case, delved into the mystery of his life, the more astonished he became. Compared to the unassuming man with a red beard, Landru, the renowned lover, seemed like an amateur. The commissioner compiled a list, according to which Landru was acquainted with 283 women. Each woman had a separate entry in his "accounting records," including detailed physical descriptions, information about their wealth, and familial connections. The killer, saving space, used abbreviations in his registry. He eventually slept with the majority of the women he met through newspaper advertisements. During the trial, it was revealed that on certain days, he had up to six encounters. His last lover, a young actress named Fernande Segre, testified under oath:

"He indulged in lovemaking in the evening before going to bed, during the night, and even in the morning when he woke up. The professional womanizer needed the appropriate setting for his pleasures. Landru rented two villas where he would take his partners, as well as dozens of corresponding apartments in Paris."

The Arrest and Trial
In Gambais, the police discovered the bodies of three dogs belonging to Mademoiselle Marchadé, as well as charred bones that were found to be the remains of three human skulls, six hands, and six feet. Landru presumably burned the bodies of the murdered women in the furnace. The police interrogated 273 women listed in Landru's notebook, but were unable to locate the remaining ten. The investigative documents in the case, which shocked the global public, filled seven thousand pages, and the experts' conclusions amounted to three hundred pages. Only then did the fates of Landru's victims become apparent, and only then did the judicial authorities attempt to expose the murderer. This proved to be challenging due to the lack of crucial evidence and the significant time gap between Landru's first murder in February 1914 and his arrest in February 1922. The irresistible seducer of lonely women and the heinous killer was fifty-three years old at the time of his conviction.

The Execution
On February 25, 1922, in Versailles, Henri Desire Landru faced the guillotine. He refused the presence of a chaplain, a glass of rum, and a final cigarette. Before his execution, he once again proclaimed his innocence.

Aftermath
Following Landru's demise, his last lover, Fernande Segre, left France. She worked as a pediatric nurse in Libya but was unable to return to the theater, as she had hoped. She resurfaced in Paris only in 1963, after the renowned French director Claude Chabrol made a feature film about her and Landru. She filed a complaint against the film company for portraying her naked in a bedroom scene and demanded a monetary compensation of two hundred thousand francs for the insult to her name and the memory of her unforgettable lover, Landru. The court ruled that she was entitled to only ten thousand francs, as "Landru, the murderer, can now be considered a historical figure, and his personal life belongs to the public."

Fernande Segre, who suffered from a severe spinal condition, later resided in a retirement home. In February 1968, her body was found in a castle moat in Fleury-les-Aubrais. She had taken her own life, leaving a letter explaining that she could no longer bear the intense pain. She placed the letter on her bedside table amidst photographs of her parents and Landru, whom she loved until the end of her life.