Cyanide Murder and Burning in the Fireplace

Pretending to be an organization that smuggles people out of war-torn Europe, the so-called Devil Doctor lures dozens of victims into a death trap.

Demon Doctor Marcel Andre Henri Felix Petiot. Photo: Lineup

The case of Marcel Andre Henri Felix Petiot, who was beheaded for the murder of 26 people and was suspected of causing the deaths of dozens more, remains shrouded in mystery. His record of crimes was so brutal that he was given nicknames such as the Devil Doctor, the Werewolf of Paris, and the Evil Devil, according to Lineup.

Theft and embezzlement of public funds

Born in 1897 in Auxerre, France, Petiot's youth was marked by a series of mostly petty crimes. He was first diagnosed with mental illness in 1914 at the age of 17. In 1916, he volunteered for the French army during World War I.

After being wounded in battle, Petiot was sent back to a convalescent camp, where he was arrested and imprisoned for stealing morphine and other military supplies. He received a second diagnosis of insanity at this time. However, he was allowed to return to the front lines in 1918. Shortly thereafter, Petiot was accused of injuring his own foot with a grenade. He received a third diagnosis of insanity and was discharged with a disability pension.

After the war, Petiot enrolled in an accelerated medical education program. He completed the program in eight months and interned at a psychiatric hospital in the town of Evreux, receiving his medical degree in 1921.

Petiot is said to have stolen narcotics for his own use and distributed them to patients. He also performed illegal abortions and stole everything from stone crosses to money from the town treasury of Evreux.

In 1926, Petiot began dating Louise Delaveau, the daughter of one of his patients. Delaveau disappeared shortly after the affair began. Although Petiot never officially admitted any involvement in the disappearance, experts believe Delaveau may have been his first victim. Neighbors reported seeing Petiot loading a trunk into his car at the time of the girl's disappearance.

In the same year, Petiot turned his attention to politics and launched a successful election campaign, becoming mayor of Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, in the Yonne department. Once again, he used his position for personal gain and embezzled public funds.

In 1927, Petiot married the daughter of a wealthy local butcher. They had a son. While serving as mayor, he continued to engage in shady civic dealings. After being repeatedly accused of illegal activities, Petiot was suspended from office and eventually resigned as mayor in 1931. However, he managed to gain a seat on the Yonne municipal council in 1932. Just a few months later, he was forced to resign for stealing electricity from the town of Villeneuve-sur-Yonne.

Trap to kill

Petiot at his trial. Photo: Lineup

When his political career ended, Petiot moved to Paris, where he forged medical degrees to present himself as a brilliant doctor. The deception worked. Petiot’s reputation attracted patients, and in 1936 he was given the authority to issue death certificates. But rumors of his fraudulent practices, including illegal abortions and overprescribing of drugs, resurfaced.

According to his confession, Petiot worked for the French Resistance during the occupation of France. He planted booby traps, developed weapons that killed without leaving forensic evidence, and met with senior Allied commanders. Petiot was certified as a source by Colonel John F. Grombach, former director of the independent intelligence agency Pond. Pond was established by the U.S. government in 1942 and closed in 1955.

Petiot claimed to be operating a secret escape route during the French occupation. Operating under the codename Dr. Eugene, Petiot told French Resistance fighters, Jewish refugees, and people wanted by the Nazis that he could help them escape from war-torn Europe to Argentina. He charged 25,000 francs for each person who wanted to go to Argentina.

Of course, the invitation was a trap. Petiot told his victims that they needed vaccinations before going to Argentina. He took advantage of the opportunity to inject them with deadly cyanide. He then took their valuables and threw their bodies into the Seine, buried them in quicklime, or threw them into the fireplace of his house.

In March 1944, neighbors complained about the stench coming from Petiot’s house on the rue Le Sueur in Paris, as well as toxic smoke coming from his chimney. Authorities summoned Petiot. When they searched Petiot’s house, they found the remains of several victims, including charred human remains smoldering in the fireplace.

Petiot managed to hide for a short time by using a false name and growing a beard. He was arrested in October 1940 on murder charges. His trial took place in March 1946, and the news of the trial became a major news story. Throughout, Petiot maintained his innocence and that he had only killed “enemies of France,” German soldiers, and a number of double agents.

But authorities found no connection between Petiot and the French Resistance. Many of the French Resistance groups Petiot mentioned and the exploits he claimed to have done while working for the movement never existed.

In the end, the court found Petitot guilty of 26 counts of murder and robbery. Many believe that the actual number of victims could be as high as 60. On May 25, 1946, he was executed by guillotine.

The guillotine was dismantled after Petiot's execution. Photo: boisdejustice.com

According to VNE