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Alpine Lake Gun Linked to 2012 Family Massacre
12 Sep
Summary
- A gun found in Lake Annecy may connect to the 2012 Chevaline killings.
- A British family and a cyclist were found murdered in their car.
- Two tourists discovered the submerged pistol last month.
A significant lead has emerged in the 2012 Chevaline killings with the discovery of a submerged pistol in Lake Annecy. The weapon, found by tourists on August 20, is now being ballistically tested for its potential connection to the murders of the al-Hilli family and cyclist Sylvain Mollier. The family, Saad al-Hilli, Ikbal al-Hilli, and Suhaila al-Allaf, along with Mollier, were found shot to death in their vehicle on September 5, 2012.
The tourists reported finding the semi-automatic pistol approximately five feet underwater. They held onto the weapon for 24 hours before contacting authorities, suspecting its link to the cold case. Investigators had previously identified a vintage Luger P06-29 pistol as the likely murder weapon, based on fragments found at the original crime scene.
This discovery represents the latest effort to solve the high-profile case, which has seen numerous leads and suspect investigations over the past 14 years. Previous inquiries have included the arrest and subsequent release of Saad al-Hilli's brother, Zaid al-Hilli, and questioning of other individuals without charges. Recent DNA testing on victim clothing and crime scene evidence in 2024 also failed to yield arrests, making this new firearm evidence a critical development.
