Police officer accused of killing his British ex-wife and her new partner after both shot dead in France
A police officer is accused of killing his estranged British wife and her new partner after they were shot dead in France.
Alison Erb, a 49-year-old nursery manager originally from Norfolk, was found dead on 25 May 2023 alongside her 51-year-old partner Loreto Di Salvatore at their apartment in Roppentzwiller, a village near the border with Switzerland and Germany.
Both were found with gunshot wounds and a small-calibre revolver was found at the scene, according to local reports.
Her estranged husband, Olivier Erb – a serving police officer who lived in the nearby town of Wittenheim – was arrested and has since admitted 'liability' for the killings. He was indicted last April, and a French judge will now decide what charges he will face. The details of the arrest have only emerged this week.
The couple had been in the process of divorcing and Erb had twice been investigated on suspicion of verbally abusing and harassing his wife with malicious calls, in 2020 and 2022 respectively, according to local reports.
Firefighters are reported to have discovered the bodies when they entered the flat above the town hall and the village's main street through a balcony, after neighbours raised the alarm about dogs barking in the building.
Police began an investigation and found Alison – whose maiden name is Knott – and Mr Di Salvatore had been shot three times each.
At the time of the killings, Erb was reportedly banned from visiting her home or contacting his estranged wife, and both victims had told relatives of their concerns about him.
Alison had installed a surveillance camera at the property, and footage seen by police reportedly showed her leaving the flat on the day of her death, shortly before a figure dressed in black and wearing a hood and gloves entered.
Mr Di Salvatore was killed on the first floor of the property. Eight minutes later, Alison returned and was killed on the stairs leading up to the first floor. The figure in black was then seen leaving the scene through a skylight window.
Erb initially denied involvement in the deaths before later admitting liability. He has since been indicted for double murder, and a judge is set to determine which charge he should face.
French lawyers, acting on behalf of Alison's family, said in a statement: 'We want to highlight the exceptional work carried out by the investigating magistrate in Mulhouse and the Gendarmes in Strasbourg, both past and ongoing, in determining the circumstances that led to the horrendous death of Alison Knott and her partner'.
View more
Alison attended Wymondham College in Norfolk at the age of 11 before going on to study nursery nursing at King's Lynn College.
She worked as a nanny in Worstead, before moving to France in 1995 to work for a large family with several small children living in the Alsace region. She later married Erb and the couple had three children – two daughters now aged 26 and 15, and a 27-year-old son.
At the time of her death, she had been managing a nursery in nearby Switzerland and had hoped to build a new life there with Mr Di Salvatore, 51.
The couple had been renting the flat in Roppentzwiller while Mr Di Salvatore built a house for them to live in together.
Alison's sister, who still lives in Norfolk but wanted to remain anonymous, described her sister as having 'a huge heart' and said her death had 'left a gaping hole in so many people's lives'.
'I am utterly heartbroken by the loss of my sister,' she said. 'I have never felt more alone. We're just 18 months apart in age. We were as close as only sisters can be. Ali and I would talk almost every day, as she did with her aunt who was like a mother to her. She took care of her aunt and nursed her to health when she was suffering from cancer.
'I still can't believe such a kind and beautiful soul has been stolen from the world.'
Mr Di Salvatore was 'desperate to marry her', Alison's sister said, adding: 'He did all he could to keep her safe and make her happy. Their relationship was true love. This is the first time she has experienced this.'
A spokesman for Norfolk Police said: 'The family of former Norwich woman, Alison Erb, are currently being supported by a specially trained family liaison officer.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
21 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Sick moment vile yob shouts ‘f*** foreigners' while setting family's home on FIRE in ‘racist' riot carnage
THIS is the vile moment yobs shouted "f*** foreigners" while setting a family's home on fire in "racist" riot carnage. Hundreds gathered on the streets of Ballymena in Northern Ireland on Wednesday facing police armed with riot shields and water cannon on the third night of anti-immigrant demonstrations. 7 This is the vile moment yobs shouted 'f*** foreigners' while setting a family's home 7 A man filming the scenes on his phone can be heard screaming 'f*** the foreigners' 7 Video footage emerged on social media today showing masked thugs stoking a fire in a kitchen Video footage emerged on social media today showing masked thugs breaking into a house and stoking a fire in the kitchen. It is unclear who the property belonged to, but a man filming the scenes on his phone can be heard screaming "f*** the foreigners". He grabs a kettle and while thrusting it into the air in front of a group of thugs, he shouts "yes! f*** the foreigners". The protests erupted in the northern town of Ballymena after the arrest of two teenagers accused of attempting to rape a young girl. The pair appeared Monday in court, where they asked for a Romanian interpreter. Police have not confirmed the ethnicity of the teenagers, who remain in custody, but areas attacked on Monday and Tuesday included neighbourhoods where Romanian migrants live. Ministers from every party in the province's power-sharing executive strongly condemned "the racially motivated violence witnessed in recent days". Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the unrest in Ballymena "mindless violence". Around 20 miles southeast of the town, masked men set a leisure centre in Larne on fire. The centre was temporarily sheltering people from Ballymena who had been evacuated. Masked yobs set fire to NI leisure centre 'used to house locals fleeing riots' as violence hits Ballymena for 3rd night People living in Ballymena described "terrifying" scenes in which attackers had targeted "foreigners" over the previous days. Some people fixed signs to their houses indicating they were Filipino residents, or hung up British flags. Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill, the Sinn Fein vice-president, called the violence "abhorrent". The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said in a statement that its officers "came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks in their direction". Some of the injured officers required hospital treatment. Police Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson on Tuesday denounced the violence as "racist thuggery" and said it was "clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and police". 7 Larne Leisure Centre came under attack and was set on fire in the evening Credit: X / @TheNorfolkLion 7 A sticker with a Philippines flag and the words 'Filipino lives here' on a house Credit: Reuters 7 Fireworks were shot at the police barricade as the unrest unfolded Credit: AFP
Daily Record
30 minutes ago
- Daily Record
British tourists shun Spanish resort, leaving it eerily empty as other Europeans take over
Miguel Perez-Marsa, president of the island's ABONE nightclub and entertainment association, has said business is booming in the German-popular party resort of Playa de Palma but Brits are being demonised A popular Spanish holiday island typically thronged with British tourists has been photographed looking eerily deserted. Miguel Perez-Marsa, president of the island's ABONE nightclub and entertainment association, recently told local media that business is thriving in the German-favourite party hotspot of Playa de Palma, near the Majorcan capital. However, he claimed that young Brits are increasingly shunning Magaluf, an area once dominated by British holidaymakers during the summer season, suggesting that they have been "demonised." On Wednesday, dozens of beach sun loungers lay vacant as thousands of Spanish teenagers from Valencia, celebrating the end of their school exams, descended upon the resort. Some bar owners even admitted to adjusting their opening hours to accommodate the changing demographics of their clientele, reports the Mirror. According to Mr Perez-Marsa, the void left by the departing British tourists is being filled by French and Italian visitors, who tend to drink less and spend less on nightlife than their UK counterparts. He further alleged that British youngsters, who have traditionally flocked to Magaluf's vibrant Punta Ballena party strip, have been "steam-rollered" by the island authorities. Additionally, Mr Perez-Marsa noted an increase in British families visiting Magaluf, but lamented that they often opt for all-inclusive packages, resulting in reduced spending outside of their hotels. Magaluf's notorious party hotspot faced scrutiny when Majorca's then-top politician, Jose Ramon Bauza, branded Punta Ballena "500 metres of shame". The condemnation followed a distressing incident involving an 18 year old girl duped into performing sex acts for what was promised to be a free holiday but turned out to be a cocktail dubbed 'Holiday'. Steep fines up to £50,000 were enforced on tourists involved in balcony jumping, and limitations imposed on alcohol provision with meals at all-inclusive hotels in areas like Magaluf via a regional government ordinance aimed at curbing 'drunken tourism', instituted five years prior. The previous year witnessed even harsher crackdowns, with £1,300 fines for public drinking and obligatory night-time closures for shops selling alcohol in specific zones of Magaluf. Despite these measures, British holidaymakers continue to constitute a substantial portion of Magaluf's and, more extensively, Majorca's visitor economy. Each year, the island greets over 2.3 million British visitors, which represents nearly 26% of total tourist numbers. Germans still claim the lion's share with over 3.4 million visitors or 40% of the total, followed by approximately 340,000 Scandinavians, 238,000 French nationals, 160,000 Swiss, and 136,000 Irish. Calvia's Mayor, Juan Antonio Amengual, affirmed last year that "all Brits are welcome" in Magalluf. Addressing concerns of 'tourismphobia' due to conduct issues with some tourists – unequivocally not the majority - he maintained: "We want people to enjoy their holidays with respect between tourists and residents." Magaluf is on the western coast of Majorca. It has less than 4,000 permanent residents.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
UK government issues warning to all citizens travelling to the U.S. in update
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for the US after a week of unrest in Los Angeles following US immigration raids The UK government has today issued urgent advice for anyone travelling to the US, prompted by the Foreign Office following a spate of protests in Los Angeles as massive deportation raids sparked public dissent. After Los Angeles endured another night under curfew amid ongoing civil unrest related to US immigration enforcement, British officials have updated travel guidance, drawing attention to the robust police measures in place. Officials said: "Demonstrations and protests are taking place in Los Angeles. Media reports suggest the police response has included use of flash-bangs, tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber/sponge bullets." Foreign office said UK citizens should: monitor local media and follow the advice of the local authorities plan ahead to avoid disruption stay away from crowds and demonstrations The Foreign Office has given cautionary advice to UK nationals, highlighting the need for vigilance during these times. In response to the escalating situation, federal prosecutors have charged two individuals with hurling Molotov cocktails at law enforcement officers in separate episodes. An imposing presence of 4,000 National Guard soldiers alongside 700 Marines has been mobilised to stabilise the unrest, with some Guardsmen now empowered to detain individuals pending police arrest, reports the Express US. Earlier on Wednesday evening, hundreds convened at Los Angeles City Hall for a protest that was later disbanded by police enforcement. As the curfew took effect, LA Mayor Karen Bass posted on Twitter explaining that it was implemented as a measure to "stop bad actors who are taking advantage of the president's chaotic escalation". She previously attributed the demonstrations to US President Donald Trump's immigration raids, asserting they "provoked" the community by engendering "fear" and "panic". "A week ago, everything was peaceful," she remarked during a press briefing on Wednesday. "Things began to be difficult on Friday when raids took place." Bass insinuated that Los Angeles is "part of a national experiment to determine how far the federal government can go in taking over power from a local government, from a local jurisdiction". She has consistently urged the administration to halt the raids. Following a fifth night of unrest over the immigration measures, Los Angeles police reported that "mass arrests" were carried out late Tuesday into Wednesday. The Police Department issued statements detailing that 203 individuals were detained for failure to disperse, 17 for breaking curfew, three for carrying a firearm, and one for assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon. According to the department's account, two officers sustained injuries in the fracas.
