Francis Vandy is charged with the murder of two men of Romanian nationality, who were fishing in his pond in Forchies-la-Marche on August 28, 2019. The trial should have taken place in April, but had to be postponed due to a corona infection from a magistrate.
On August 29, 2019, Maria Ghelmegeanu went to the police of the Brussels-West zone to report the disappearance of her husband Gabriel. The day before, he had gone fishing with his brother, Constantin Tomescu, who had chosen a pond in Forchies-la-Marche, in Hainaut, not far from his former hometown.
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At the same time, a resident of rue du Bosquet in Forchies-la-Marche reported to the Trieux police that a suspicious vehicle had been parked in her street since the day before. It concerned an Opel Zafira, which was registered to Constantin Tomescu, who was reported missing to the Brussels police.
Police searched the area and found two bodies in a bush near the pond. It concerned the two Romanians who had disappeared, one of whom was identified by a tattoo. Police also found traces of blood. Fishing equipment belonging to the retired Police Commissioner Francis Vandy and his wife was found by the pond.
A neighbor testified that she heard gunshots on August 28. Constantin Tomescu’s son stated that he had also gone fishing with his father a few months earlier and that they had been chased by two men. One of the two was armed and the other had a dog. They fired at the ground to chase them away. The son was presented with some photos and he recognized Francis Vandy as one of the two men.
“Killed not to be killed”
The police conducted a search of Vandy’s home on August 30. There she found several firearms. During his interrogation, Vandy denied having anything to do with the double murder. However, traces of blood and the fingerprints of the two victims were found on the clothes he was wearing on August 28. On October 17, 2019, the former police officer was arrested.
On January 13, 2020, he confessed and stated that he had “killed so as not to be killed” by the men fishing in his pond. He maintained this version during the search that was organized by the investigating judge on May 27, 2020.
After leaving the army as a corporal, Vandy joined the Charleroi Judicial Police in 1974. In 2000, he became chief of police after obtaining a degree in criminology.