Denis Waxin

Names

• Denis Waxin

Status and sentencing

Denis Waxin was sentenced to life in prison (minimum 30 years) on May 31, 2002.

On May 31, Denis Waxin was recognized coupable and condemned to prison à vie, with a sûreté période of 30 years.

Timeline

• May 28, 2002 — At the hearing, Denis Waxin described for an hour, in crude terms, the circumstances of his 3rd murder, that of the little Nadja Tebib, and showed no emotion while recounting the ordeal of the child.
• May 31, 2002 — Denis Waxin was recognized coupable and condemned to prison à vie, with a sûreté période of 30 years; the announcement of the verdict followed three hours of deliberation.
• September 2002 — Denis Waxin was to be tried again, this time for the murder of Nathalie Hoarau, committed when Waxin was 17 years old.

Background

Denis Waxin was described as an adult aged 33 years from Lille. He confessed in July 1999 to the abduction, rape and murder of three girl children aged 9, 6 and 4 years, committed and accompanied by acts described as barbaries, in 1985, 1990 and 1992 in Lille.

He was also described as saying he was a victim of “dédoublement de personnalité” (split personality). Experts who examined him found that he did not have intellectual disability.

The offences

Nadja Tebib (age 4)

On July 29, 1992, the body of the little Nadja Tebib, 4 years old, was discovered in a vacant lot (terrain vague) of Ronchin, near Lille.

The child had been abducted, raped and killed six days earlier.

During the May 28, 2002 hearing, Denis Waxin described for an hour, in crude terms, the circumstances of his 3rd murder, that of Nadja Tebib, and showed no emotion while recounting the child’s ordeal.

Cathy Moncheaux (age 9)

Denis Waxin confessed on the evening of July 13, 1999 before the juge d'instruction to the rape and murder of Cathy Moncheaux, 9 years old, committed in October 1990.

On May 28, 2002, he did not want to provide details on the murder of the little Cathy Moncheaux, killed with fourteen knife blows. He said he did not remember anything. He also said he had difficulty believing that he was the one who had done it.

Nathalie Hoarau (age 6)

Denis Waxin confessed on the evening of July 13, 1999 before the juge d'instruction to the rape and murder of Nathalie Hoarau, 6 years old, committed in November 1985.

Denis Waxin was to be tried again in September 2002 for the murder of Nathalie Hoarau, committed when he was 17 years old.

Arrest and investigation

The evening of the confessions and subsequent detention followed confessions in July 1999.

On January 6, 1999, Denis Waxin kidnapped the little Wendy, 6 years old, near her home and took her to a disused factory in Lille-Fives.

He threatened Wendy with an electric baton (matraque électrique) to ensure her submission. He also said:

• "Je te préviens, j'ai déjà tué des petites filles"

He then raped the girl. Wendy escaped while Waxin was putting his clothes back on.

The investigation was entrusted to the brigade des moeurs of the SIR of Lille.

Wendy had an excellent sense of orientation and, even though she was traumatized and only 6 years old, she was able to describe her attacker in detail. A police composite portrait (portrait-robot) was made.

Investigators compared it with thousands of photographs of offenders from their files. A dozen suspects were selected, including Waxin.

In police archives, he had left traces only for a robbery committed in a department store (grand magasin). Despite this, the police decided to keep his photograph among the others and show it to the girl. Wendy identified Denis Waxin’s picture without hesitation and with confidence.

Denis Waxin was arrested and incarcerated. At his home, the electric baton was found.

Investigators then decided to reopen all child rape cases. Three cases, in particular, were recalled: the rapes and murders of Nadja, Cathy and Nathalie.

In the Nadja case, police had an index: a sperm stain (une tache de sperme). The LIPS (laboratoire interrégional de police scientifique) was tasked with comparing it with Denis Waxin’s DNA, and the genetic trace matched perfectly.

On July 13, 1999, during his detention, Denis Waxin confessed to two other rapes, for which he was also prosecuted that week.

Trial proceedings

On May 28, 2002, Denis Waxin described the circumstances of Nadja Tebib’s murder for an hour in crude terms and showed no emotion while recounting the child’s ordeal. He said he was not aware of what he was doing. He refused to provide details about the murder of Cathy Moncheaux, and said he did not remember.

The jury deliberated for three hours before the verdict announced on May 31.

A psychiatrist’s view was not taken into account by the jurors. The view stated that Waxin’s judgment was altered and that he should benefit from mitigating circumstances because specialists had indicated:

• "le sujet ne paraît pas en l'état curable de sa perversion. Sa réadaptation pose des problèmes fondamentaux d'environnement, de médiation sociale médicale et affective, indispensables compte tenu de sa dangerosité"

When the verdict was announced, Denis Waxin did not show any reaction.

Civil parties expressed relief and satisfaction.

Outcome and future proceedings

Denis Waxin received a life sentence on May 31, 2002, with a sûreté période of 30 years.

He was to be tried again in September for the murder of Nathalie Hoarau, committed when he was 17 years old.