He Wrote Rambling Letters About His Family’s Sudden Disappearance, And Then They Were Found Buried Beneath The House
In April 2011, the Dupont de Ligonnès family—seemingly perfect, stemming from nobility, well-respected members of the community, and religious—vanished from their home in an upscale neighborhood in Nantes, France. Friends and other family members were concerned by their sudden disappearance.
During an investigation, the police found the bodies of Agnés Dupont de Ligonnès and her four children buried underneath their home. But one person was missing: the patriarch, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnés.
Before the bodies were discovered, he had written long, rambling letters explaining their disappearance. He also told family members not to worry.
He became the main suspect in his family’s murder. But despite international manhunts, multiple alleged sightings, and countless tips, Xavier has never been found, dead or alive.
Once the tragedy became national news, the family’s money troubles and reports of marital tensions between Xavier and Agnès were revealed.
Xavier Dupont de Ligonnés was born on January 9, 1961, in Versailles, France. He came from a noble family and was related to respected historical figures.
Xavier was unable to achieve financial success. He had many failed business ventures and was quickly racking up debt.
He was married to Agnès, who worked at a Catholic school. The couple had four children together: Arthur, Thomas, Anne, and Benoît.
Xavier was drowning in debt and saw no way out. He owed money to several financial institutions and borrowed thousands more from relatives and acquaintances.
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According to comments that Agnès apparently made online, she was unhappy in her marriage and worried about money.
Between April 3 and April 5, 2011, Agnès, Arthur, Anne, and Benoît were shot and killed in their home by a .22 caliber rifle.
Thomas was believed to have been murdered last on April 5. The bodies were wrapped in sheets, covered in quicklime, and buried under the back porch. Even the family’s two Labradors were killed and buried alongside them.
The murders were meticulously planned and executed. Xavier had purchased a rifle silencer and the necessary tools for the burials.
Following the killings, misleading letters written by Xavier were sent out to friends and relatives claiming that they were in witness protection with the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States.
Xavier was seen for the last time on April 15, 2011. He was checking out of a hotel in Roquebrune-sur-Argens. His car was later found abandoned in the area.
There are two predominant theories about Xavier’s disappearance. The first was that he took his own life after revisiting the south of France, where he grew up.
The second was that he fell off the grid and fled to a different country. With his noble connections, it’s possible that he could’ve started a new life somewhere else.
There have been numerous sightings of Xavier in Italy and Latin America, but police have never been able to confirm them. No body was ever found.
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