Man Held in Custody for Murder of 57-Year-Old Colleague in Paris Suburb
A 27-year-old man has been charged and placed in provisional detention for the murder of his 57-year-old colleague, whose body was found in a travel agency in Pantin, a suburb in the Seine-Saint-Denis department of Paris.
The suspect, identified as a Franco-Tunisian, confessed to the crime after several days of investigation, according to the Bobigny prosecutor's office.
The victim, Yasmine Zekia Benherbi, had gone missing on April 23. Her family, including her 27-year-old son, had been in regular contact with her and had reported her disappearance as suspicious. An investigation was launched, and a search was conducted around her workplace and home in Colombes. Social media appeals were also made to gather information.
On April 27, the victim's body was discovered in the travel agency where she worked, located in Pantin. The body was hidden in a closet under the stairs, wrapped in trash bags. The agency, which specializes in organizing pilgrimages to Mecca, was immediately sealed off and transformed into a crime scene. According to preliminary investigation findings, the victim was struck before being strangled.
The investigation led police to focus on one of her colleagues, Brahim B., also 27 years old. Despite actively participating in the search efforts, including accompanying police to the agency and opening the closet where the body was found, he initially raised no suspicions.
However, inconsistencies in his statements led to his arrest and detention. Initially, he denied any involvement in the crime, but later confessed to killing his colleague. According to the Bobigny prosecutor's office, he acted after the victim refused to give him an advance on his salary, which he claimed he needed to help his parents, particularly to cover his mother's cancer treatment. The victim's refusal allegedly "hurt" him and triggered an "excessive" reaction.
The two colleagues had worked together for several years and had a close relationship. The victim was even considered a maternal figure by the suspect, according to information gathered by investigators.
The suspect, who is unknown to the police and justice system, has been charged with murder and is being held in custody. His lawyer described him as a "well-integrated" professional but someone who suffers from personal isolation. The judicial investigation will now determine the exact circumstances of the crime, including through psychological and psychiatric expertise.
