Jean-Claude Romand

Case identification

Jean-Claude Romand (born February 11, 1954) was a French impostor and murderer who pretended to be a medical doctor.

Background

Romand studied at the lycée of Lons-le-Saunier until his baccalauréat. In 1971, he registered at the classes préparatoires of lycée du Parc in Lyon, but dropped out after one semester. Afterwards he enrolled as a medical student.

Romand was born in Clairvaux-les-Lacs.

He lived close by in Prévessin-Moëns, France.

The deception

Romand claimed that he had passed a second-year medical examination that he did not take. He therefore never qualified as a doctor, a fact unknown to his peers.

Romand fooled his family and friends for 18 years; they thought he was a successful medical professional and researcher in the World Health Organization.

He managed to give an impression that he had researched arteriosclerosis and he had contacts with political figures. In reality, he spent his days wandering and used free information services of the local WHO building.

Periodically he left for a supposed work trip but only traveled to Geneva Cointrin international airport and spent a couple of days in a hotel room there, studying medical journals and a travel guide about Switzerland, the country where everyone supposed he worked.

Romand lived off the money his wife and he had made by selling an apartment, from his wife's salary, and from sums of money which were given to him by various relatives, who relied on his assurances that he was investing the money in various imaginary hedge funds and foreign ventures.

Investigation

After the killings, the only people who could expose him were his parents, who were both so proud of his “successful” son, and his ex-mistress, who wanted back 900,000 Fr that she had given him as a favor.

Friends had began to discover the truth about his job, and it was becoming too much to handle.

Actions on the night of the murders

On 9 January 1993, Romand withdrew 2000Fr and purchased a handgun, silencer and gas canisters, and asked for them to be gift wrapped.

That night, feeling the only thing left to do was kill, he bashed his wife to death on their double bed with a rolling pin. He left her body until the morning, sleeping as normal.

The next morning, he woke his children, had breakfast, and watched cartoons.

He put them to bed that night, and once they had fallen asleep, shot them both in the head.

After these killings, the only people who could expose him were his parents, who were both so proud of their “successful” son, and his ex-mistress, who wanted back 900,000 Fr that she had given him as a favor.

Immediately after the meal he repeatedly shot them both and the family dog.

That night he picked up his ex-mistress, telling her he was treating her to a romantic meal for two. Pretending the car had broken down, he made her exit the car, and she did so he attempted to strangle her with a cord and sprayed tear gas into her face. After she fought back, he apologized and drove her back to her home before returning to his family home, which still contained the bodies of his dead wife and children.

He sat and watched TV before he poured petrol around the house, set it alight and took an overdose of sleeping pills to create the appearance of an intended suicide.

He survived the blaze, but refused to talk to police during subsequent questioning; it was initially believed that he was too traumatized to speak.

He was rescued by local firefighters who were alerted by the road cleaners at 4 o’clock the next morning.

Fire and pills

The pills he took were long expired.

He had access to more effective barbiturates.

Additionally, the manner the fire was set and the timing of his taking the pills made his rescue inevitable.

In his own words he was “condamné à vivre” (sentenced to live).

Whether the attempt was genuine was doubtful, since the pills he took were long expired, and he had access to more effective barbiturates; additionally, the manner the fire was set and the timing of his taking the pills made his rescue inevitable.

Trial

Romand’s trial began on June 25, 1996.

On July 6, 1996, he was sentenced.

On the 2nd of July 1996, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for his quintuple murder, with no possibility of parole before 2015.

He was quoted as saying that, finally relieved of the burden of 20 years of lies, he has never felt so free.

Appeals

No appeal details were provided.

Outcome

He was sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole before 2015 on July 2, 1996.

Aftermath

At the time of his death, less that 500 (swiss) francs were in his bank account.

Other details

Financial events before the murders

First in 1988 his father in law wanted to withdraw some of the money he invested. A few weeks later he fell to his death in an accident, whose only witness was Jean-Claude. Although it was never proven that he was responsible, the death was extremely convenient. Not only did it deal with the problem of the money, but his mother in law decided she no longer needed such a big house and moved to a smaller flat, leaving Jean-Claude to take care of the leftover money.

Four years later it was his mistress’ turn to ask for the return of the money she had invested, a total of 900000 francs.

Lay quotations and phrasing in the account

Romand’s “successful” son was referenced in relation to his parents’ pride in him.

Romand was quoted as saying: “condamné à vivre” (sentenced to live).

Romand was quoted as saying that, finally relieved of the burden of 20 years of lies, he has never felt so free.

Victims listed in the narrative

Romand killed his parents, his wife and his children. The family dog was also shot. He also attempted to strangle his ex-mistress with a cord and sprayed tear gas into her face.