Joseph Vacher French serial killer Date of Birth: 16.11.1869 Country: France

1. Biography of Joseph Vacher
2. Failed Love and Tragic Event
3. Serial Killings
4. Capture and Trial
5. Execution
6. Inspiration for Film

Biography of Joseph Vacher

Joseph Vacher, also known as the French Serial Killer or the Southeast Ripper, was born on November 16, 1869, in Beaufort, Isère, France. He was the son of an illiterate farmer who sent him to a strict Catholic school, where he was taught to obey and fear God.

Failed Love and Tragic Event

In 1893, while serving in the military, Joseph fell in love with a young maid named Louise. However, she did not reciprocate his feelings. Frustrated by her indifference, Joseph shot Louise four times, but she miraculously survived. In a despairing attempt to end his own life, Joseph shot himself twice in the head, resulting in partial paralysis of his face and a bullet permanently lodged in his brain. He was subsequently admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Dole, Jura, where he received no medical treatment.

Serial Killings

After being released from the psychiatric hospital, Joseph embarked on a three-year killing spree starting in 1894. He mutilated and killed at least 11 people, including one woman, five teenage girls, and five teenage boys. Most of his victims were shepherds tending to their animals in remote fields. Joseph inflicted multiple stab wounds, often disemboweled and sexually assaulted his victims, regardless of their gender. He traveled from city to city, ranging from Normandy to Provence, primarily staying in the southeast of France. Joseph survived by begging and working as a laborer on farms.

Capture and Trial

In 1897, Joseph attempted to attack a woman in a field in Ardèche. Her cries for help were heard by her son and husband, who successfully restrained Joseph and handed him over to the authorities. Although there was little evidence linking Joseph to the ongoing series of murders, he confessed to all of them. Initially, Joseph claimed he had lost his sanity when bitten by a dog in his childhood, and a quack doctor had treated him. However, he later recanted, stating that God had guided him on his path, similar to Joan of Arc, to make people reflect on the true nature of virtue. Despite conflicting claims, Joseph was deemed sane, and on October 28, 1898, he was sentenced to death.

Execution

Two months later, on the dawn of December 31, 1898, Joseph Vacher was executed by guillotine. He refused to walk to the scaffold, and the executioners had to drag him there.

Inspiration for Film

In 1976, French director Bertrand Tavernier released a film titled 'The Judge and the Murderer,' inspired by Joseph Vacher's story. The character of the killer, portrayed by Michel Galabru, was named Joseph Bouvier, with the French words 'bouvier' and 'vacher' both referring to the profession of a herdsman.