French authorities are testing a semi-automatic pistol recovered from Lake Annecy on Aug. 20 for a possible link to the unsolved Sept. 5, 2012 Chevaline murders that claimed four lives. Two tourists found the weapon underwater, identified its likely type online, then handed it to gendarmes. Investigators previously recovered fragments at the original scene and suspected a vintage Luger P06-29; prior leads and DNA tests since 2012 have not produced charges. Ballistics and forensic analysis of the newly recovered gun are now under way.
Pistol Recovered From Lake Annecy Sent for Forensic Tests in Long-Running 2012 Chevaline Murder Investigation
A general view of the Annecy LakeCredit: Richard Bord/Getty
French investigators have begun forensic tests on a semi-automatic pistol recovered from Lake Annecy to determine whether it is linked to the unsolved 2012 killings near the Alpine village of Chevaline.
Prosecutor Marie-Céline Lawrysz said two tourists discovered the weapon about five feet underwater and a few dozen metres from the shore on Aug. 20. After researching the firearm’s model online, the tourists handed it to gendarmes from the Saint-Jorioz brigade on Aug. 21. Ballistics and forensic experts are now comparing the pistol to evidence recovered at the original crime scene, officials said, according to reporting from The Guardian.
What Happened in 2012
On Sept. 5, 2012, 50-year-old Saad al-Hilli, his 47-year-old wife Ikbal and her 74-year-old mother, Suhaila al-Allaf, were found shot to death inside the family’s British-registered BMW near Chevaline. A 45-year-old passing cyclist, Sylvain Mollier, was also killed. Two young girls — then aged 4 and 7 — survived the attack.
The caravan and tent used by Saad al-Hilli and his familyCredit: Chris Ison/PA Images via Getty
Possible Link To Vintage Luger
During the original investigation, fragments from the butt of a pistol were recovered near the family’s vehicle, and detectives suspected a vintage Luger P06-29 — a model issued to the Swiss army in the 1930s — may have been used. The weapon’s owner has never been identified. Investigators previously argued that the use of such an old firearm made a professional contract killing less likely, but the case has remained unresolved despite numerous leads.
Previous Inquiries And Ongoing Testing
The newly recovered pistol is the latest potential lead in a case that has spanned more than a decade. Authorities have pursued multiple lines of inquiry, including questioning suspects and following tips. In 2013 Saad al-Hilli’s brother Zaid was arrested and later released with no further action due to insufficient evidence. Other suspects have been questioned and released in subsequent years.
In 2024, France's cold-case unit ordered fresh DNA testing on victims’ clothing, fragments recovered from the scene and cigarette butts found nearby; those tests did not produce an arrest. Officials say the newly recovered firearm will undergo ballistics matching and forensic analysis to determine whether it can be tied to the Chevaline killings, and investigators continue to appeal for any information that could help solve the case.
Next steps: Ballistics and trace-forensic examinations will establish whether the pistol matches shell casings, fragments or other forensic evidence from the 2012 scene. Authorities have not released any conclusion pending testing.
Reporting referenced statements from French prosecutors and coverage by The Guardian.
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