“We pretend to live”: the moving testimony of the parents of Amélie, 21, killed in Roujan two years ago

Every day and sometimes several times a day, Amélie's parents, Jérôme and Magalie Calas, pay their respects at the grave of the young woman murdered two years ago. J.-P A. – Midi Libre

Les parents d'Amélie sur sa tombe. – J-P. Amarger

Le 14 janvier 2022, un homme de 22 ans a assassiné Amélie Calas, 21 ans, et Caroline Fournet, 25 ans en leur portant d’innombrables coups de couteau sur tout le corps. deux ans après les parents d'Amélie racontent leur fille, leur sœur.

"Amélie would have been a wonderful godmother, explains Guillaume, her brother. She would have loved Romy, my daughter, that’s for sure. They have the same naughty look. Amélie Calas, 21, was murdered in Roujan with 80 stab wounds by her boyfriend two years ago this Sunday, January 14. The same man also stabbed Caroline Fournet, Amélie’s neighbor, numerous times. The two young people had moved into an apartment a few months earlier. The suspect is today incarcerated in Seysses, near Toulouse, in the psychiatric unit.

Rue de l’église, Jérôme and Magalie, Amélie’s parents are pretending. For two years ! They are going through an ordeal while waiting for the decision whether or not to see Amélie's murderer brought to justice. Without having been able to recover their daughter's belongings, still in the apartment of the tragedy and which are placed under judicial seal.

Don't give up

"She would not accept that we give up, even if we postpone many things because we do not have the strength, explains Jérôme Calas. We have to cope and for that we pretend to live well. Amélie had character. I would even say she had a strong character and she left memories wherever she went. She was a frank, direct girl. When she had something to say, she let it all out. It didn't matter who was in front."

Jérôme strikes a pose, he looks at a cat. Amélie’s. “Cats, I can't see them. This one is not the same. Sometimes I talk to him but he doesn't answer me."  Jérôme stops, his eyes filled with tears.

Across the way, Magalie is destroyed. Heavy tears flow down her cheeks. A forced smile and she restarts the conversation: "Amélie, it’s been a ruckus. We knew when she was there. She had a huge heart and we miss her so much, she says with a tightness in her throat. What the hell did she do with this guy? They were so unlike each other. He said he no longer spoke to his parents. She told us: “He was not lucky enough to have parents like you. I want to give him this”."

The Calas family is a very close-knit family. They live in Roujan and are known to everyone.
The grandmother, a few steps from the family home, is also called Amélie. On December 15, 2022, for his birthday, it was planned to do a photo shoot in Montpellier where the whole family would be present.

Projecting yourself is difficult

"We decided to give her this gift because they were both very close friends, Magalie recounts with difficulty. On the 14th, as we had spent a week making jokes about this shooting, we had to tell him about the tragedy. It was terribly violent. Since then, she has constantly told us that she can't wait to join her. It’s hard. It’s very hard!" 

Jérôme continues: "We are no longer able to project ourselves. For Christmas, with Amélie, it started on December 1st with the installation of the tree. It’s his wish. She loved it. There, we put one on his grave on December 1st, for his birthday…"

Nurse at all costs

"And it all ended on February 2 with the earpieces. Amélie was a party girl but also a huge hard worker, recalls Magalie. She wanted to be a nurse and she worked like crazy for it. She finished at the top of her class in her first year. That was his thing, serving people. And we were enormously touched when the director of the nursing school announced to us that there would be a ceremony in her honor. They planted an olive tree in the school yard and gave us Amélie's diploma posthumously." Magalie proudly shows Amélie's diploma.

"I am surprised by people’s empathy, continues Jérôme. Even in work, they have a word for her. It’s heavy sometimes, but it’s really very nice. But this constantly reminds me that before, she lived 300 m from the house on the way to the village and now it's 300 m from the house, at the cemetery…"< /p>

Me Iris Christol: “We maintain that we fall under the new law”

For two years, psychiatric assessments have been carried out. carried out to analyze the behavior of Jordan Garnier, the accused. today in pre-trial detention Seysses. An expert opinion concluded à an alteration of his discernment at the time of the facts, two others at the time of the events; an abolition of discernment at the time of the tragedy.

Me Iris Christol, who defends Amélie’s loved ones, insists: "We will fight until the end. It is their will. If there was an abolition of discernment at the time of the events, we could not judge it. A new law still allows for a judgment. A special hearing must be held at behind closed doors and will decide whether or not we will go before the H’rault criminal court. If there is abolition, it will be judged but not condemned. There will be complete hospitalization with very long-term follow-up. This new arrangement makes it possible to avoid tragedies like at Meaux. Judging is not just about punishing. This means ensuring guarantees of care and safety. We need consistency which does not exist in the prosecutions because these cases are increasing in France. We maintain that we fall under the new law and we demand that it be applied. This boy was taking toxic drugs, he knew he was sick and refused to seek treatment. He was receiving treatment from a psychologist. In this matter, we are face to face with a criminal scene of terrifying violence and the question arises. If he hadn’t been there, sick, would that have been? less violent ? He persisted; on these two girls. This is almost unthinkable for families."

J&rôme, Amélie’s father, J&rôme insists, he wants to fight as a family for the interests of Amélie, but also of Caroline and Jeoffrey, Caroline's boyfriend.

The pain does not ease

Guillaume, the brother, is angry. He only advances with great difficulty. "My life has changed in the last two years. I can't take the slightest pleasure without thinking of my sister. I have hatred and violence that rise within me as soon as I hear what he said. The legal twist that seems to be emerging does not suit me. The pain does not ease. I can't go to the cemetery like my parents who go there several times a day. Knowing that is inconceivable to me."
 

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