Playboy Found Dead in Trunk: A French Producer’s Final Trip

Playboy Producer Found Dead in Trunk, Sparking Murder Probe

The chill of a French ski resort evening in February 2010 was shattered by a phone call that turned a relaxed dinner among friends into a scene of pale faces and trembling hands. One friend, after taking a call, fled the restaurant, claiming someone they cared about desperately needed help. This abrupt departure was the first hint of a dark mystery that would soon engulf the life of Alain Leleu, a wealthy and well-connected French producer of circus shows.

A Quiet Weekend Turns Deadly

On the afternoon of Saturday, February 6th, 2010, Alain Leleu, 61, was at a small house outside Chartres, in northern France. He was spending time with Alexandra Nicola, 37, a former assistant with whom he shared a close, almost paternal bond. Leleu had even bought the house for Nicola and her 10-year-old daughter, and he often helped her financially, paying for her car and vacations. Despite his own busy life, traveling extensively for his lucrative circus business, Leleu valued these quiet moments with Nicola, seeing them as a chance to recharge.

Leleu was aware that many, including his wife, likely assumed he and Nicola were romantically involved. He had a history of extramarital affairs, and his marriage to Elizabeth was unconventional, with both living separate lives. However, Leleu insisted his relationship with Nicola was strictly platonic, focused on his enjoyment of a fatherly role.

That weekend, however, was strained by an argument. Leleu had brought up Nicola’s troubled past, which included the tragic death of her infant child and a period of self-destructive behavior. By the time Leleu met her in 2002, Nicola was struggling to provide for her young daughter on minimum wage jobs. Leleu’s offer of employment as his secretary had transformed her life, yet sometimes she seemed resentful of his control.

Despite the tension, they planned a quiet dinner. As Leleu prepared to leave on Sunday afternoon for an important business meeting in Vichy, a second car was reportedly following him. No one knew then that this marked the beginning of the end for Alain Leleu.

A Disappearance and a Grim Discovery

By Monday morning, February 8th, Leleu’s absence was causing alarm. His wife, Elizabeth, was contacted by his worried secretary, Sylvie, who reported that Leleu had missed a crucial meeting in Vichy and had not checked into his hotel. He was also unreachable by phone, a highly unusual situation for the always-connected producer. Elizabeth, unable to contact her husband, alerted the police.

The investigation initially treated Leleu as a missing person. However, as days turned into weeks with no sign of him, the case was escalated to the crime division. On February 19th, a police officer visited Nicola’s home, the last known location of Leleu. Nicola, appearing concerned, cooperated with the officer, recounting Leleu’s visit from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon before he left for his meeting. She maintained their relationship was platonic.

Investigators examined Leleu’s financial records and cell phone activity, which ceased after he left Nicola’s home on February 7th. They requested GPS data from his Audi Q7. On February 26th, 19 days after he was reported missing, detectives located Leleu’s car in the parking lot of a train station in Orléans, a city situated between Chartres and Vichy. The car showed no signs of forced entry, and Leleu’s belongings were still inside, suggesting robbery was not the motive.

The car was towed to an impound lot for forensic processing. When technicians opened the trunk, they found a body wrapped in a pink sheet. It was Alain Leleu. He was fully clothed and showed no visible wounds, but rigor mortis indicated he had been deceased for some time. The coroner’s initial findings suggested strangulation, and scratches on his legs indicated his body was placed in the trunk after death. The investigation was now officially a murder case.

Suspects and Motives Emerge

Detective Pierre Marton took charge of the investigation, facing a complex web of potential suspects. Leleu’s lifestyle, marked by numerous affairs and a ruthless business approach, presented many possibilities. Alexandra Nicola remained a person of interest, as the last known person to see him alive, though her small stature made the physical act of murder and moving the body seem unlikely.

Leleu’s wife, Elizabeth, also had a potential motive, given his constant infidelity, and possessed the financial means to hire a killer. Furthermore, Leleu’s business dealings were described as cutthroat, and he had made enemies in the competitive circus industry. One name surfaced repeatedly: Michel de La Rouche, Leleu’s main rival.

De La Rouche had immediately begun soliciting Leleu’s clients after his disappearance, a move that suggested a strong financial motive. He was brought in for questioning. While he admitted to pursuing Leleu’s contracts, he provided a solid alibi: he was hundreds of miles away on a skiing trip during the estimated time of Leleu’s death. Despite extensive efforts, investigators could not break De La Rouche’s alibi.

As weeks passed, the investigation stalled. Detectives re-interviewed everyone, meticulously piecing together Leleu’s final days. The case remained open, a stark reminder of the dangers that can lurk beneath the surface of wealth and success, leaving Leleu’s tragic end a chilling enigma.

Source: Wealthy French playboy found in his own TRUNK (YouTube)