Father of Sophie Toscan du Plantier dies in Paris aged 98
Georges Bouniol and Marguerite Bouniol, parents of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, at the 10th Anniversary Memorial service in Goleen, Co Cork Picture: Bryan Keane
The elderly father of French film producer Sophie Toscan Du Plantier has died just days after the 28th anniversary of her murder near her holiday home in Toormore on the outskirts of Schull in West Cork.
Georges Bouniol, who was 98, passed away in Paris after spending close to three decades seeking justice for the murder of his 39-year-old daughter. Mr Bouniol died in hospital with his family at his bedside.
For many years Georges and his wife Marguerite travelled to West Cork at Christmas to attend an anniversary mass for Sophie with their son Bertrand and Sophie's son Pierre-Louis.
Two years ago Sophie’s uncle Jean Pierre Gazeau said it was the final wish of her parents, to see a conviction in the case.
He said that the family had waited too long for justice.
“They are so heartbroken that they still cannot move on with their lives. They’ve been waiting so long for justice and know they will not be around forever.
It’s their wish that they will see a successful end to this investigation so they can live the rest of their lives in peace.”
The battered body of the French woman was found on December 23, 1996 on a laneway leading to her remote holiday home.
The self confessed chief suspect in the case, 66-year-old Ian Bailey, died earlier this year.
He was on two occasions detained by gardaí for questioning in relation to the murder.
Mr Bailey always vehemently denied any wrongdoing in relation to the murder of the mother of one who had always enjoyed her trips to West Cork. Sophie enjoyed spending time in her solitary rural retreat.
Mr Bailey was convicted in absentia after a trial in France in 2015. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
However, officials in France were unable to extradite Mr Bailey to Paris to serve the sentence handed down by the courts.
Mr Bailey fought two attempts by the authorities in France to extradite him to the country.
He also unsuccessfully sued newspapers for allegedly defaming him and gardaí for allegedly trying to frame him.
He also lodged a complaint with GSOC in early 2012 into his treatment by gardaí investigating the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
A subsequent GSOC report indicated grave issues of concern but said there was no evidence to suggest that Mr Bailey was framed for the murder or that evidence was falsified, forged, or fabricated by members of An Garda Síochána.
The report revealed that 22 case exhibits can no longer be located. These include a blood spattered gate taken from close to where the body of the French national was found, a wine bottle discovered in a field next to the scene of the crime and a black overcoat belonging to Mr Bailey.
A cold case review in to the death of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier is ongoing.
It is understood that it is several months from being completed.
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