1 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,360 COURTHOUSE OCTOBER 6, 2016 2 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,040 DAY OF THE VERDICT 3 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,280 WESPHAEL, TRIAL OF THE YEAR! 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,120 I'm completely devastated. 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,120 I have a knot in my stomach. 6 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,280 WALLOON DEPUTY ARRESTED FOR MURDER 7 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,480 After suffering through this monstrous media campaign, 8 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:33,880 I thought I was going to be sentenced. 9 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,760 SAPHIA'S TEARS 10 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,760 THE YOUNG WOMAN IS HER FATHER'S GREATEST SUPPORTER 11 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,120 FIGHTING FOR THEIR FAMILY 12 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,280 THEY BREAK THEIR SILENCE TWO YEARS AFTER HER DEATH 13 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,560 There's anger. There's rage. 14 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:55,080 There's outrage. 15 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,880 NO EVIDENCE OF MURDER 16 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:02,280 STRANGULATION MARKS ON NECK 17 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:08,000 I'm absolutely convinced it was murder. 18 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,680 I hope the jury will agree. 19 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,400 This is the second time in Belgian history a member of Parliament 20 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,440 has been tried for the murder of his wife. 21 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,480 I don't think really anyone in this room 22 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:30,600 knew until the last second 23 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,280 on which side of the net the ball would land. 24 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:47,640 ONE FIGHT TOO MANY 25 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,560 HIS DAUGHTER'S POIGNANT MESSAGE 26 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,920 "I SAW HER BODY. VÉRONIQUE WAS BEATEN!" 27 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,280 HER SON DID NOT SEE HIS MOTHER'S BODY 28 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,560 "WE DIDN'T WANT THE IMAGE TO STAY WITH HIM" 29 00:01:58,120 --> 00:01:59,560 I wanted to shake him 30 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,440 and say, "There's still time to tell the truth." 31 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:04,480 It's not me. 32 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:06,800 It's not me. 33 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,320 A NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY SERIES 34 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,680 UNDER SUSPICION 35 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:49,320 UNCOVERING THE WESPHAEL CASE 36 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,600 3 YEARS EARLIER… 37 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,720 When we went to see the body at the morgue, 38 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:24,840 they only let us see her face. 39 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:29,760 I told myself, "It must be severe. She has bruises." 40 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,640 Her face was really bad. 41 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,840 We later learned her body had 38 contusions. 42 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,000 I thought, "What happened? This can't be real." 43 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,880 We were then told Wesphael was with her. 44 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,720 It was just the two of them in the room. 45 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,560 We understood they had a fight. 46 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:55,760 I thought it was a fight gone wrong. 47 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:57,240 I didn't think 48 00:03:58,320 --> 00:03:59,960 he'd killed her. 49 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,280 That he'd meant to kill her. 50 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,720 When Nadine and I left, she said, 51 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,480 "She was beaten." 52 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,840 Those weren't natural bruises. They weren't… 53 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,520 I was thinking the same thing. 54 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,280 We said, "Victor can't see his mom like that." 55 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,760 "HE'D EITHER GET HER BACK OR KILL HER!" 56 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:29,720 VÉRONIQUE'S AUNT IS CONVINCED IT WAS MURDER 57 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,200 From what I saw, the relationship wasn't going well. 58 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:37,240 I couldn't understand why he wanted to pursue the relationship. 59 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,760 I met him for the first time here at the house. 60 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:45,360 I thought, "Who is this unbearable guy who loves the sound of his own voice?" 61 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,800 "She picked him? That can't be." 62 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,520 You have to remember they got married three months after they met. 63 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,680 It's wonderful, extraordinary, because we don't see things as they are. 64 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:58,800 And very quickly, 65 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,600 he sold his house, moved in with his furniture. 66 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,640 I mean, it makes sense. They got married. 67 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,720 And immediately, we realized 68 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,000 that it was the opposite. 69 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,920 VÉRONIQUE PIROTTON WANTED A DIVORCE 70 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,000 She called and said, "Can you take Victor? 71 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,520 I really need to take a step back. 72 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,840 I really need to go to Ostend alone." 73 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,840 She asked Victor if he wanted to come. 74 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:34,720 He said, "No, I'd rather stay with my friends and go see my godmother." 75 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,880 "HERE IS SOME MONEY IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ME IN OSTEND" 76 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,720 VÉRONIQUE'S LAST WORDS TO HER SON 77 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,760 "Victor, you know it's not working out with Bernard. 78 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,120 He found an apartment yesterday. 79 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,240 Because of his decision, I'll be at the beach until tomorrow. 80 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:55,680 I'm at the hotel where we always go together." 81 00:05:55,760 --> 00:06:00,640 Certainly, if Wesphael was already there, 82 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,520 she wasn't gonna invite her son to sleep between the two of them, 83 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,440 so his presence was certainly not planned. 84 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,080 Véronique was someone 85 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,080 with whom the relationship was very intense 86 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,000 because there was an emotional, amorous dimension, 87 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:21,240 but also this intellectual dimension that was really nice. 88 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,440 And I was objectively very proud of this woman. 89 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:30,960 Véronique had decided to spend the weekend in Ostend, 90 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,880 and I wanted to finish working on my political platform. 91 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,120 I thought since there was tension between us, 92 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:44,400 I'd rent an apartment, and I got an opportunity 93 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:49,160 to have my son over in a safe way and enjoy it. 94 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:55,800 So I sent her messages telling her that I intended to join her. 95 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,680 DO YOU WANT ME TO JOIN YOU? 96 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,400 I sent her two or three text messages, 97 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:08,880 and she started questioning me and responded, "Why?" 98 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,280 1 MISSED CALL 99 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,840 OCTOBER 30, 2013 THE EVE OF THE TRAGEDY… 100 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:32,080 I know she values her alone time and loves to be on her own. 101 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,560 But I answered, "I want to join you." 102 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,320 He went to see an apartment at 3:00 p.m. 103 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,240 He told me he was taking it. He asked me to come. 104 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,520 I said, "No, it's your decision." 105 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:17,960 Then we talked. 106 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:23,080 We can have a peaceful separation. That would be nice. 107 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:25,520 But then he lost it. 108 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,560 -Had he been drinking? -Oh yes! 109 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:30,320 Already, at noon, 110 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:32,320 I could tell he'd been drinking… 111 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:34,760 He felt very humiliated. 112 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,080 -That's what he keeps saying? -Yes. 113 00:08:37,680 --> 00:08:40,760 That I humiliated him like no one ever had, 114 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:44,040 that no one cheats on Bernard Wesphael. 115 00:08:44,680 --> 00:08:45,920 Stuff like that. 116 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,920 -I'll call you later, darling. -Okay, my kitten. 117 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,240 -I love you very much. -I love you too. 118 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,400 -Later, my kitten. -Yes, bye! 119 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,000 So I got ready, put on cologne, 120 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,400 and got in the car and headed to Ostend. 121 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,320 On my way, 122 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,360 deep down, I was happy with myself. 123 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:16,320 Dressed to the nines, 124 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,680 a handsome man, and let's say proud of myself. 125 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,240 I reached downtown Ostend. 126 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:25,800 It's not huge. 127 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:27,760 I was a little lost. 128 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,680 When she saw I wasn't there, she called and said, 129 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:32,440 "I can help if you want." 130 00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:37,680 I finally saw the Mondo Hotel. 131 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,400 A young woman was waiting for me there. 132 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,280 She was there. 133 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,800 She was an extraordinary woman. 134 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:47,200 She was smiling. 135 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,240 We went to each other right away 136 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,280 without discussion or hesitation. 137 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:57,080 Before long, we were kissing passionately. 138 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:01,440 She seemed completely in love. 139 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,080 We went to our room, 140 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,120 which was comfortable enough for two people in love. 141 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,880 We were in a very passionate phase. 142 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,880 Our skin touching was enough to give us intense pleasure, 143 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:43,880 as far as tenderness goes, 144 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:46,640 in terms of the act itself. 145 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:53,000 It was probably one of the most beautiful connections 146 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,280 I've ever had with my wife. 147 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,360 It was really a kind of… 148 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:58,880 Yes, you could say 149 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:03,000 a spontaneous reunion between us. 150 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,360 It was truly gentle, 151 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,480 amorous in every sense of the word. 152 00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:16,000 We were in Ostend for the fall break. 153 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,640 We wanted to go see the Ostend Fun Fair, 154 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:21,160 the Halloween fair. 155 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,800 We stayed in room 502 at Hotel Mondo. 156 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:26,480 In a family room. 157 00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:29,360 Our room was below theirs. 158 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,000 We had room 502. They had room 602. 159 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:33,400 At least, we think so. 160 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,400 The noises we heard came from above. 161 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:43,520 -When was it? -On the first night. 162 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:44,840 I don't know exactly. 163 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:46,720 We didn't look at the time. 164 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,600 We had no notion of time at that moment. 165 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:51,240 It's hard to say. 166 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,960 It was around the time we came back to our room. 167 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,600 -Yes, the children were up. -They were up. 168 00:11:57,680 --> 00:11:59,320 That's when it started. 169 00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:02,920 We could hear people making love. 170 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,560 It started gently, but it then became pretty intense. 171 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,360 I'd say it was normal on the first night. 172 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:12,840 I found it sounded pretty serious. 173 00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:15,920 People were making love above us, 174 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:18,920 rather noisily. 175 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,360 A woman was having an orgasm, was getting pleasure 176 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:26,040 from what they were doing. 177 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:27,400 Several times? 178 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,640 Several times. I'd say, three times. 179 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:33,720 We could hear that they were 180 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:36,000 keeping busy. 181 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,120 Obviously, I was happy. 182 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:43,400 Ecstatic, as they say, to be with my wife again, 183 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:47,680 given the preceding weeks had not been easy. 184 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:55,200 She started making plans with me again and told me objectively. 185 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:56,760 So this was not a woman 186 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:58,800 who wanted to break up with a man 187 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:00,760 she no longer loves. 188 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,280 That night, she demonstrated the opposite, 189 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,120 that she loved me deeply. That's how I took it. 190 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:14,800 NIGHT OF THE 30TH TO THE 31ST OF OCTOBER 2013 191 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,600 I felt a hand 192 00:13:24,680 --> 00:13:27,320 caressing my head like this, 193 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:30,280 with a lot of tenderness. 194 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,240 I remember it like it was yesterday. 195 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,800 We decided to have breakfast, of course. 196 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,120 We got dressed quickly. 197 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:52,400 1 NEW MESSAGE OSWALD 198 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,440 9:44 A.M. - SMS FROM OSWALD, VÉRONIQUE'S LOVER 199 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:57,200 SLEEP WELL? 200 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:03,840 We went to have breakfast in this big room at the hotel. 201 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,440 We came down to have breakfast, 202 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,720 and we decided to play a game: 203 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:15,800 "Let's look at the people coming in 204 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:20,040 and try to guess which of them 205 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,440 had a good time in the room above ours." 206 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:26,480 We started looking at people. 207 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,160 We were sitting at a table, 208 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,560 and a couple sat in front of us, 209 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,280 at the table across. 210 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,320 I don't know why, but I thought 211 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,320 the couple was strange. 212 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,360 The woman was much younger than the man. 213 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,680 He seemed somber in the way he was dressed, 214 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,440 his facial expression. 215 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:53,320 I thought he looked a bit… 216 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,080 How can I put it politely? 217 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,200 -Creepy? -Yes, a bit creepy. 218 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:05,240 I thought they looked strange. I observed them for a while. 219 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,880 They didn't fit well together. 220 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:12,840 They didn't look like they were married. Not at all. It's not the impression I got. 221 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,360 They looked unhappy, especially her. 222 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,960 When she got up to go to the front desk, 223 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:30,320 I didn't know what she was going to do. 224 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:38,760 In fact, she booked the room for a second night. 225 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,320 She came back and said, "It'd be cool if we stayed another day." 226 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,720 You can imagine, after what I'd just experienced, 227 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,080 I said, "Yes, that's great! 228 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:53,520 We're gonna take a walk. 229 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,280 We'll go out to eat tonight." And there you go. 230 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:57,720 Everything was good. 231 00:15:58,320 --> 00:15:59,560 Everything was 232 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,680 a little magical, let's say. 233 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,240 We went back up to the room. 234 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,600 She said, "I have something to tell you. 235 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,600 I stopped taking birth control. 236 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,240 I want to have your child." 237 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:32,920 At that point, I totally melted. 238 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:40,120 We stayed in bed until about noon. 239 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:42,760 We were feeling good. 240 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:45,040 We decided to open a bottle of wine. 241 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,320 And then the phone rang. 242 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:04,200 I picked up 243 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,440 and heard the voice of a man 244 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:08,640 telling me, 245 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,080 "Hi, it's your big bad wolf." 246 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:15,240 It was a bit striking. 247 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,320 I told Véronique, "I think it's for you." 248 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,920 She took the phone and said, "It's not a good time," and hung up. 249 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,040 She was livid at that point. 250 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:28,640 A few seconds later, same thing. 251 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,040 Another phone call. 252 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,040 This second call was a provocation. 253 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:39,880 I said, "Excuse me, sir. I'm Véronique Pirotton's husband." 254 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:41,960 He said, "Excuse me," and hung up. 255 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,280 She couldn't accept 256 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:47,480 that she'd been caught in the act. 257 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:51,520 So she started to let out, 258 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:53,680 from my perspective at that moment, 259 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:57,960 her hatred for this man who'd harassed her nonstop, 260 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,040 including following her to a hotel with her husband. 261 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:03,520 It's what she told me. 262 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,960 What can I say? That's what I wanted to hear. 263 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:09,360 I wanted to hear that. 264 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,440 -Anyway, Wesphael knew. -He says he didn't. 265 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:15,560 He knew she'd resumed the affair. It's all an act. 266 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:17,120 Of course. 267 00:18:18,120 --> 00:18:21,680 He knew about it, and Victor knows that he knew about it. 268 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:23,640 He even saw them have arguments 269 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,040 in which the name Oswald was mentioned. 270 00:18:26,120 --> 00:18:27,720 "You're seeing him again!" 271 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,080 He knew she was seeing him again. 272 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,800 He was gutted, of course. 273 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,800 Setting aside the fact that Véronique told me 274 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:40,320 she would sometimes have a drink with her ex in Liège 275 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,600 the same way I had a drink with my daughter's mother 276 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:44,840 or my son's mother… 277 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,280 There's nothing problematic about it. 278 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:50,040 Setting that aside, 279 00:18:50,120 --> 00:18:53,080 all I knew about their relationship, in detail, 280 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,320 before the Ostend police told me, 281 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:59,440 I knew absolutely nothing about it. 282 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,600 "Victor, you know it's not working out with Bernard. 283 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:09,560 We talked, and he's decided that he can't forgive me 284 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:11,240 for what happened with Oswald 285 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:13,320 and that I disgust him." 286 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:17,000 The bubble in which we lived 287 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:18,880 exploded 288 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,560 because she, herself, was torn. 289 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:29,920 She'd just demonstrated 290 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:33,920 that she was with two men. 291 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:37,160 It was fine as long as they were compartmentalized, 292 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:39,600 but one they came into contact with each other, 293 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,320 the situation was unbearable for her. 294 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:44,160 It was unbearable. 295 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:46,360 So what's the solution? 296 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:48,040 Escape. 297 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:53,200 She needed medication to deal with the anxiety gnawing at her. 298 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,800 We weren't gonna solve the problem then, 299 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,440 so we decided to go out 300 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:03,800 as if nothing had happened. 301 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,440 It was important for us to move, to get some air. 302 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,120 We went to a cafe downtown, 303 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:13,760 where we started talking. 304 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,720 That's when you sent messages to her lover. 305 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,200 One message to her lover. 306 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,600 I think it was, "Now you'll see, you pathetic man." 307 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,600 This message was interpreted 308 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,080 as evidence that I was going to kill her. 309 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:36,840 In reality, what I intended to do, 310 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,120 and I've said it over and over again, 311 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,120 was to file a complaint against this harasser, 312 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:43,840 this perverted narcissist, 313 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:47,280 with the Liège police. 314 00:20:47,360 --> 00:20:49,520 She tried to call him several times 315 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:51,920 to tell him what she thought of him. 316 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:53,840 And I told her clearly, 317 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:59,200 "Véro, let's put an end to it. Leave a message, and that's it." 318 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:00,640 Leave a simple message. 319 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,760 -Leave him a simple message! -What? 320 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:05,320 Anything. Figure it out. 321 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:07,760 What should I say? 322 00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:10,400 I must tell you 323 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,200 that I have complete disdain for you. 324 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:15,920 I don't know. 325 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:18,480 We slowly, 326 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:20,760 quote-unquote, 327 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:22,840 kind of "cooled down," 328 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,280 even though she was far more agitated 329 00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:27,520 than before the call at 3:00 p.m. 330 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:29,400 I went to the restroom. 331 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:31,920 When I came back, she was gone. 332 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,360 I paid the bill and went looking for her. 333 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:44,280 As fate would have it, I found her. 334 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,280 I saw her enter a pita place. 335 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:49,240 I told myself, 336 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:52,000 "Bernard, don't let her go. Go get her." 337 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:57,360 I told her, "I could've lost you." But she didn't react to that. 338 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:00,480 Once we finished… 339 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,480 We didn't drink too much. 340 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,520 We decided to leave that place and return to our room. 341 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,840 I realized at that moment that my wife was already 342 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:15,160 having a hard time walking, moving around. 343 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,280 At the entrance, 344 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:21,520 "Bernard, let's get one last drink at the bar." 345 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:26,040 I said, "I don't think that's reasonable. We should go to bed." 346 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:30,240 She said, "Have a drink with me, or I'll go back into town." 347 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:32,320 I think… She would've done it! 348 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,240 She would have! She would've gone back into town! 349 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,920 So I said, "Okay, let's go to the bar." 350 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:45,840 And then I think she had an amaretto, and I had a Cognac coffee. 351 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:51,560 Her behavior was ambiguous, 352 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:53,440 because she was upset one minute 353 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,360 and very affectionate the next. 354 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,120 She'd suddenly kiss me and then push me away. 355 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,000 And then kiss me and push me away. 356 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:07,320 I felt tension rising in her towards me, 357 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,040 so I was a little exasperated and annoyed. 358 00:23:10,120 --> 00:23:13,880 Fearing the worst, I went out for a smoke to calm down. 359 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,800 I have to be honest. I was thinking what would happen. 360 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:21,920 I said to myself, "Oh, my." 361 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,440 I didn't realize she ordered another drink. 362 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:33,120 Clearly, she drank too much that night. 363 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:35,200 She had two alcoholic drinks. 364 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,640 And I only had one Cognac coffee. 365 00:23:48,120 --> 00:23:50,960 I took Véronique to the restroom since she couldn't walk. 366 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,880 I found it strange that she spent so long in there. 367 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:11,760 The Ostend police would later tell me 368 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,560 that she took advantage of that time to call her lover. 369 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:20,560 I don't think she was in a state to make any decisions, 370 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,440 so I suggested we go back up. 371 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,280 I carried her. She kept hugging me 372 00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:29,000 and sometimes tensed up. 373 00:24:32,360 --> 00:24:37,640 She switched between kissing and clenching up nonstop. 374 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:45,840 We took the elevator. 375 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:49,680 She was against me, 376 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,000 elsewhere, no longer here, 377 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:57,880 no longer in that place. 378 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:02,000 I don't know where her mind was at. I don't know what she'd planned. 379 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,800 I don't think she'd planned anything. 380 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,040 She didn't know anymore. 381 00:25:08,120 --> 00:25:09,800 She was truly tender 382 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,240 as the elevator went up. 383 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:21,640 Before me stood a different Véronique, 384 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:23,880 who was under pressure, 385 00:25:25,120 --> 00:25:27,640 and I knew this tense Véronique. 386 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,160 I knew it could potentially 387 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,320 go in unexpected directions. 388 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:35,440 However, what 389 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:37,960 I didn't know 390 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:40,040 is that this tension, 391 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:42,520 first directed at the lover, 392 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,080 was ultimately going to turn on me. 393 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:47,440 She proclaimed 394 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:49,880 a certain number 395 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,160 of quite unpleasant things 396 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:56,760 about me. 397 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:01,640 About my inabilities, 398 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,040 about my social failures, 399 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:07,520 that I didn't provide her 400 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:09,920 the life she'd hoped for, 401 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,000 that, as a member of Parliament's wife, 402 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,960 she thought she'd have a more comfortable life. 403 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:17,000 Things like that. 404 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:19,960 I repeated quite loudly three or four times, 405 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,480 "Stop, Véronique! Stop!" 406 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,520 I said it quite loudly. That's true. 407 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,120 All right. All this took place 408 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,440 within half an hour, more or less. 409 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,080 GUEST IN ROOM 601 410 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:13,400 At the beginning, it was like the night before: 411 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,560 two people pleasuring each other. 412 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:20,080 But it was rather noisy 413 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:22,120 to the point of being disturbing, 414 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:23,440 i.e. disgusting. 415 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,000 At one point, 416 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:31,200 we thought we heard them arguing in the room. 417 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:23,880 Then, at one point, 418 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:28,040 the children and I heard the woman make strange noises. 419 00:28:28,120 --> 00:28:31,360 Surprised, my son said, 420 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,480 "It sounds like a wolf howling." 421 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:38,080 We only heard a man's voice on the second night. 422 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,840 In fact, we mostly heard the woman's voice. 423 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:42,160 Yes. 424 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,160 Wasn't the man constantly repeating the same thing? 425 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:47,600 -Right. -Right? 426 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:52,800 At one point, it got so bad 427 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:54,840 that I told my husband, 428 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,160 "It's like she's being subjected to something." 429 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:02,360 Then a loud thud resonated above us, 430 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,040 like someone falling. 431 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,400 It was a really loud thud. 432 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:12,320 That night, there was absolutely no violence in the room 433 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:14,240 coming from me. 434 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,320 The only act of violence 435 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:18,440 was by my wife 436 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,360 towards me. 437 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:23,440 She tried 438 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:27,680 to claw me, as she could do. 439 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,680 So I did take action to calm her. 440 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,480 I got her in a lock 441 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:35,400 from behind 442 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,920 to try to calm her. 443 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,120 She got out of it. She was there. 444 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:44,200 And she came at me with both hands 445 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:47,400 to scratch me. 446 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,400 I was able to get this hand away in time, 447 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:53,040 but she got the other one. 448 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:55,760 She did fall three times. 449 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:58,120 She fell three times. 450 00:29:58,200 --> 00:29:59,800 This being the case, 451 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:03,680 there was only one thing I could do: 452 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:06,160 keep silent until it was over. 453 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:10,000 So I sat down… 454 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:14,080 and I waited for it to end. 455 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,280 I thought, "What do I do? 456 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:20,720 What do I do? Take my car? 457 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:23,120 Leave?" 458 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:25,600 After half an hour, 459 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:28,920 things quieted down. 460 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,120 I thought, "It's over. 461 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,680 It's over and she probably won't remember it tomorrow, 462 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,560 and she'll take me in her arms." 463 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:44,160 She walked away and started to get undressed. 464 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:47,600 She went away towards the bathroom. 465 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,280 I didn't even look in her direction. 466 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:52,120 Still in my suit, 467 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:54,960 I went to sleep over there, 468 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:57,160 exactly there, 469 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:00,560 over the bedspread 470 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:03,080 without touching anything. 471 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:07,880 I couldn't say if I slept 20, 30, 40, or 50 minutes. 472 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:11,400 I fell asleep from nervous exhaustion. 473 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,320 So I retired, and it got quiet in the room. 474 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:18,200 Thank God, it got quiet in the room. 475 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,440 You're arguing with someone, 476 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,680 someone who, according to him, was very agitated 477 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,760 and, on top of that, had just scratched your hand, 478 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:32,080 since he was apparently bleeding. 479 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:34,440 Would you go to sleep after that? 480 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:35,480 Of course. 481 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:39,280 You're in this awful state of adrenaline, 482 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:42,720 and your first thought is, "I'm going to rest." 483 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:50,240 I opened my eyes. I turned my head to the left, 484 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,680 thinking my wife would be next to me. 485 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:55,640 I realized she wasn't in the room. 486 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:57,800 I went to check the bathroom 487 00:31:57,880 --> 00:31:59,600 and saw the horror before me. 488 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:04,560 My wife was facing me, half-naked, 489 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,640 with a plastic bag on her face. 490 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,400 I gave her mouth-to-mouth to no avail. She wouldn't move. 491 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:14,880 So I then performed CPR, 492 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,920 which was considered clumsy. 493 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:20,120 She wasn't moving. 494 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:25,080 The only solution was to call an ambulance. 495 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:29,680 It was on Halloween night. 496 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:33,680 There were a lot of people in costumes on the street… 497 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:35,000 RECEPTIONIST AT MONDO HOTEL 498 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:37,160 …to celebrate. 499 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:41,720 A friend came to pick me up. 500 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:46,400 The night receptionist had just arrived. 501 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:47,920 He was in the kitchen. 502 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:49,440 Suddenly, 503 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:55,000 I saw him standing on the elevated section, 504 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:56,760 on the mezzanine. 505 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,680 He came down from his room. 506 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:04,360 Later, it occurred to me 507 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:06,200 that he wasn't winded. 508 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:09,520 I told the person in charge at the hotel, 509 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,000 "Sir, I think my wife committed suicide and she's dead" 510 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:17,440 My friend told me, 511 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:22,560 "Is this some sort of Halloween prank?" 512 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:25,160 But he repeated it several times. 513 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:27,600 So, at that moment, 514 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,800 I called the police 515 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:31,800 before going up myself. 516 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:35,480 Emergency Center 101. 517 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,880 Hello, this is Romuald of the Mondo Hotel. 518 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:44,120 A guest just told us that his wife attempted suicide. 519 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:45,160 Where? 520 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,600 The Mondo Hotel in Ostend, 1 Léon Spilliaertstraat. 521 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:51,440 The guest is down here. 522 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:54,040 His wife committed suicide, 523 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,600 but they were together in the room, 524 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:58,320 so I find that suspicious. 525 00:33:58,400 --> 00:33:59,640 I'll go check it out. 526 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,400 Yes, I'm sending over the police. 527 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:04,240 -Okay? -Okay. 528 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:14,160 Mr. Wesphael took the elevator with us. 529 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:17,960 I noticed that he had scratches 530 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:20,240 on his arms, 531 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:21,800 and they were bleeding. 532 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,520 He seemed completely normal. 533 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:26,080 No emotions. 534 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:29,360 That's why I was suspicious, 535 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:31,840 and my friend came up with us. 536 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,720 When I entered the room, 537 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:39,160 I saw Ms. Véronique dead on the bathroom floor. 538 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:45,720 It was odd. Her position wasn't normal. 539 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,720 Her head was turned toward the window, on the left. 540 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:53,200 And on one side, 541 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,360 her arm was resting against her body, 542 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:59,240 and the other arm was behind her back. 543 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:01,760 Mr. Wesphael suddenly reacted, 544 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:05,240 giving her intense CPR. 545 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:10,440 He was extremely calm, and then he suddenly changed. 546 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:15,160 I tried to calm Mr. Wesphael. 547 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:17,240 He was panicking more and more 548 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,760 and screaming, "Véronique!" 549 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:43,760 I knelt down on the floor. 550 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:45,720 I put my hands together, 551 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:48,680 and I prayed and prayed, 552 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:50,320 even though I'm atheist. 553 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:55,280 I don't know which god I was praying to. "My God, bring her back! 554 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:58,240 Bring her back!" 555 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:10,280 And then 556 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:14,840 the police officers told me, 557 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:19,320 "Mr. Wesphael…" 558 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:22,560 He didn't say, "I'm sorry." 559 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:26,080 "Your wife is dead." 560 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:33,040 The nightmare began. 561 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:35,880 They put a bag 562 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:38,600 over my hands. 563 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:39,560 Here we go. 564 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:41,960 Off to hell. 565 00:37:56,880 --> 00:38:01,880 Subtitle translation by: Dimitri Ly