Almost Perfect Crimes: The Lafarge Affair

This series investigates the most notorious, infamous and terrifying crimes in French history. Cases that – in may cases – inspired films and novels. Join Danielle Thiéry, the first female chief superintendent, on a journey to the dark side of human nature.

The Lafarge Affair divided the experts and society. Marie-Fortunée Lafarge was in an unhappy marriage to Charles, he refused to divorce her and forced her to continue living in his rat infested house. She used arsenic to kill the rats, but she also to kill her husband. In December, she sent a cake by postal service to Charles who then became very sick; he died few days later in January 1940. Even if no arsenic traces were found on Charles’ body, she was accused of the murder. Even today we cannot be sure what really happened.