Retired chef used disturbing method allegedly learned in Nepal to hide remains
In a shocking case that has stunned a quiet French village, a retired chef and restaurant owner has confessed to killing his reclusive neighbor during a failed burglary, then dismembering and cooking parts of the victim’s body with vegetables in a bizarre attempt to conceal the crime.
Philippe Schneider, 69, and his partner, 45-year-old Nathalie Caboubassy, stand accused of murdering 60-year-old Georges Meichler, whose disappearance from the forest village of Brasc in 2023 triggered a police investigation.
Gruesome details emerge during investigation
“What I’m going to tell you is horrific,” Schneider reportedly warned investigators before revealing the disturbing details of the attempted cover-up, according to The Telegraph.
Schneider allegedly told authorities that he and Caboubassy had planned to burglarize Meichler’s remote home. After tying and gagging him, they returned to find him dead, apparently from suffocation. In an effort to hide their crime, Schneider admitted to cutting up Meichler’s body, burning some parts, and scattering the remains across the property and inside the victim’s van.
In court, Schneider testified that he boiled parts of Meichler’s remains in a pot with vegetables. He claimed this was based on a ritual he had learned in Nepal and was intended to mask the smell of decomposition.
Additional suspects and evidence
A third suspect, a 25-year-old gravedigger, is also facing charges in connection with the case. Chef testified that Schneider instructed him to cook the body until it “falls off the bone” and to tell anyone who inquired that it was “food for the dog,” according to reports.
Meichler’s disappearance was reported by his daughter, who became suspicious after receiving an unusual text message from his phone that didn’t match his typical communication style. “Hi. I’m heading to Brittany with a friend. Get some fresh air and see the country. See you when I get back. Have a nice day,” the message read.
Authorities located Schneider and Caboubassy days later driving Meichler’s van. Schneider initially claimed the vehicle had been loaned to them. However, forensic teams discovered blood and body parts in the van, linking the couple to the crime.
Legal proceedings underway
Schneider’s defense lawyer, Luc Abratkiewicz, acknowledged his client’s culpability. “Philippe Schneider acknowledges his full responsibility and all the facts he is accused of,” he told The Telegraph. “Philippe Schneider’s version is that at the time he lived a life of alcohol, drugs, and then this completely crazy idea of going to burgle his neighbor. He gags him. It goes badly, he dies… He made a serious mistake. Afterward, he continued to sink into absurdity and horror because the fact of having cut up this corpse is going to cost them dearly.”
Schneider faces serious charges, including kidnapping resulting in death, desecration and concealment of a corpse. Caboubassy and the gravedigger have been charged with complicity in the crimes. The verdict in this disturbing case is expected to be delivered on May 22.
