Marie-Thérèse Garcia, now France's oldest female detainee at the age of 79, is standing trial in Versailles for a gruesome crime dating back to 1995. The case against her is built on a re-examination of evidence from three decades ago, including the dismembered body of Corinne Di Dio, which was discovered in the River Seine. Ms Garcia faces charges of kidnapping and murder, allegations she vehemently denies.
The tragic discovery of Ms Di Dio's remains was made just days after her disappearance in June 1995. A metal trunk, secured with a chain, was found floating near Paris, containing the torso of a woman. It took two years for the body to be identified as Ms Di Dio's, with key parts – her head and hands – never recovered. In the early stages of the investigation, Ms Garcia was an initial suspect, but the case was eventually closed twice due to insufficient evidence.
A significant breakthrough came recently, thanks in part to advancements in DNA technology. Two hairs found inside the metal trunk were identified as belonging either to Ms Garcia or another woman related to her by bloodline. This crucial new evidence led to Ms Garcia's imprisonment in 2023 pending trial, with repeated appeals for conditional release on grounds of age and ill health being rejected.
Described in the French press as 'Ma Dalton', a reference to a formidable grandmother figure from a comic strip, Ms Garcia denies all allegations. In an interview with Le Parisien newspaper, she stated that the case against her is "built on sand" and that conviction would be impossible without knowing what truly transpired. Her lawyer, Najwa El Haïté, argued that the nature of the killing – specifically the removal of the head and hands – suggested involvement from organised crime rather than an individual with no prior record.
The trial is expected to explore in depth the complex connections between Ms Garcia and Ms Di Dio within the French underworld. Ms Di Dio was involved with Antonio Marquez-Gomez, a figure associated with the drug trade, who fathered her son Romain. Ms Garcia had a relationship with Mr Marquez-Gomez's brother, Francisco, and often cared for Romain. The wider circle is reported to have included notorious brothers Jean-Jacques and Philippe Maurice, with Philippe being the last person condemned to death in France before receiving clemency.
Prosecutors will argue that Ms Garcia lured Ms Di Dio to her home near Rambouillet, where she was allegedly stabbed to death and dismembered. The proposed motive revolves around a pact between Ms Garcia and Mr Marquez-Gomez to remove Romain from his mother's care, as well as personal animosity held by Ms Garcia against Ms Di Dio for an alleged affair with Francisco. Mr Marquez-Gomez is also accused of murder but remains untraceable in Colombia. Testimony may include statements made by Ms Garcia's daughter, Nancy, who informed police in 2004 that she overheard her mother discussing a murder on the phone shortly before Ms Di Dio's disappearance.