Jean-Francois Poinard (Family photo) |
PARIS, France -- The common-law wife of renowned French chef Jean Francois Poinard admits she killed him and stuffed his body in the freezer. She is now under investigation for manslaughter.
The frozen corpse of Poinard, 71, one of Lyon's top chefs int he 1970s and 80s, was found by detectives at an apartment the couple shared in Lyon, south-east France earlier this month.
Guylene Collober, 51, told detectives she punched Poinard in the stomach during an argument. She says he fell and hit his head and died eighteen months ago.
Collober says she left the body in the couple's bathroom for three days before she decided to buy a freezer in which to hide the corpse.
She reportedly told her daughter about the incident saying "something unfortunate" had happened to him. The daughter notified police who discovered the body. Collober reportedly burst into tears when officers arrived and admitted to the killing.
Mr Poinard's body was found in the five foot freezer in the fetal position and covered with plastic bags, police said.
Collober is under investigation for aggravated manslaughter and could face a harsher penalty for killing her common-law husband, which is treated in France as a more serious crime than killing another person.
Officials will conduct a complete autopsy to determine exactly how Poinard died.
The frozen corpse of Poinard, 71, one of Lyon's top chefs int he 1970s and 80s, was found by detectives at an apartment the couple shared in Lyon, south-east France earlier this month.
Guylene Collober, 51, told detectives she punched Poinard in the stomach during an argument. She says he fell and hit his head and died eighteen months ago.
Collober says she left the body in the couple's bathroom for three days before she decided to buy a freezer in which to hide the corpse.
She reportedly told her daughter about the incident saying "something unfortunate" had happened to him. The daughter notified police who discovered the body. Collober reportedly burst into tears when officers arrived and admitted to the killing.
Mr Poinard's body was found in the five foot freezer in the fetal position and covered with plastic bags, police said.
Collober is under investigation for aggravated manslaughter and could face a harsher penalty for killing her common-law husband, which is treated in France as a more serious crime than killing another person.
Officials will conduct a complete autopsy to determine exactly how Poinard died.
