Moroccan man sentenced to life in France for double femicide amid tense separation

Ya Biladi

02-07-2025

Mohamed O., a 41-year-old Moroccan national and father, was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, July 1, by the Gard Assize Court in France. Subject to an order to leave French territory (OQTF), he was found guilty of murdering his wife and sister-in-law in May 2023 amid a tense separation, AFP reported.
The double femicide took place in Salles-du-Gardon, in southern France. Mohamed O. went to the home of his wife Halima, 26, who had been staying with her sister after leaving the marital home. An argument reportedly erupted when Fatima, 39, asked him to return the house keys. He then stabbed her fourteen times, including once near the heart, before turning on Halima and slashing her throat.
During the trial, the defendant admitted to killing Fatima «in a fit of anger» but claimed his wife's death was «an accident», alleging that she fell onto the blade of his knife. This version was firmly rejected by the forensic expert, who explained: «The throat wound is nine centimeters long. There's a lateral motion across the neck—you have to apply pressure to do that».
«He came in with the knife covered in blood, with a dark look on his face», recalled a beautician who witnessed the scene.
The jury found evidence of premeditation and sentenced him to life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of 18 years, and revoked his parental rights. The defendant has filed an appeal.