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Thierry PaulinFrench serial killer
Date of Birth: 28.11.1963
Country:  France |
Content:
Biography of Thierry Paulin
Thierry Paulin, a French serial killer, was born on November 28, 1963, in Fort-de-France, Martinique. His father left for France after his birth, leaving his teenage mother and child behind. Raised by his paternal grandmother, who owned a restaurant, Paulin received little attention from her. At the age of ten, he began living with his remarried mother, attempting to integrate with his stepbrothers and stepsisters. However, his behavior became increasingly unstable, and he started to display violence towards other children. Eventually, his mother pleaded with his father to take Paulin to France, to which he agreed on the condition that he would not have to pay child support.
In France, Paulin had few friends and performed poorly in school, failing his exams. At the age of seventeen, he decided to join the military and enlisted in the parachute troops. However, his fellow soldiers despised him due to his race and homosexuality.
Life in Paris
In 1984, after leaving the army, Paulin discovered that his mother and her family lived in Nanterre, a northern suburb of Paris. He went there to live with them but encountered hostility. Paulin then became a waiter at the night club "Paradis Latin," known for its transvestite shows. It was here that he began his career as a performer, dressing in women's clothes and singing the songs of his favorite singer, Eartha Kitt. Once, his mother was invited to watch his performance but left the club after a few seconds, unable to tolerate it.
During his time at "Paradis Latin," Paulin met and became romantically involved with a nineteen-year-old drug addict named Jean-Thierry Mathurin. They became lovers, and Paulin also began selling drugs, although not heavily addicted himself.
Murder Spree
In October-November 1984, eight elderly women were brutally murdered in Paris. The crimes were heinous, with some victims having plastic bags placed over their heads, others beaten to death, and one forced to drink cleaning fluid. In all cases, robbery was the motive. According to reports, Paulin targeted women he found unpleasant or hostile during conversations.
During this time, Paulin and Mathurin lived an extravagant lifestyle, spending nights dancing, drinking champagne, and using cocaine. In late November, they decided to go to Toulouse to spend a few months at Paulin's father's house. However, his father refused to accept Mathurin, leading to violent fights and the end of their relationship.
After the breakup, Paulin attempted to open his own company with transvestite performers, but the plan failed in the fall of 1985. From December 20, 1985, to June 14, 1986, a new wave of murders took place, with eight more elderly women found dead. The police discovered that the same person responsible for the 1984 murders was behind these crimes, although this time, the killer acted faster and with less sadism.
In the fall of 1986, Paulin attacked a cocaine dealer with a baseball bat. The dealer reported the incident to the police, leading to Paulin's arrest. He was sentenced to sixteen months in prison for the assault and spent a year in Fresnes prison. After his release, Paulin learned that he had contracted HIV. Knowing that he was essentially given a death sentence, he indulged in extravagant parties and spent stolen credit cards, checks, and money obtained from the murders.
The Capture and Death
On November 25, 1987, Paulin killed a 79-year-old woman named Rachel Cohen. On the same day, he attacked an 87-year-old woman, Berthe Finalteri, whom he strangled and left to die. Two days later, he strangled Genevieve Germont, becoming his final victim.
While Paulin celebrated his 24th birthday, Berthe Finalteri unexpectedly began to recover and provided an accurate description of her attacker. On December 1, Paulin was arrested by Inspector Francis Jacob, who recognized him based on Finalteri's description. Two days after the arrest, Paulin confessed to all the crimes, including implicating Mathurin in the murders.
In early 1988, Paulin became severely ill due to the effects of AIDS. Over the course of a year, he was hospitalized with tuberculosis and meningitis, gradually deteriorating. On the night of April 16, 1989, he died in the hospital ward of Fresnes prison.
Mathurin was convicted of the first nine attacks and murders and received a life sentence, plus an additional 18 years without parole. He served his sentence until January 2009, while Paulin was never formally convicted of the murders he was responsible for.
In 1994, the film "J'ai pas sommeil" ("I Can't Sleep") by director Claire Denis was released, based on Thierry's case.
