Advertisement

Alps Murders: Sketch Of Motorcyclist Released

Police investigating the murder of a family in the French Alps have released a sketch of a mysterious motorcyclist they want to speak to about the attack.

The bearded biker, who was wearing a rare type of crash helmet, was seen by witnesses at the scene of the shooting in September 2012, close to the village of Chevaline above Lake Annecy.

Saad al Hilli, a 50-year-old British-Iraqi businessman, was gunned down in the attack, in which his wife and her mother were also killed.

The family's bullet-riddled BMW was found parked in a lay-by on a remote mountain road.

French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, apparently an innocent bystander, was also killed, although Mr al Hilli's two daughters survived.

The helmet worn by the man in the police sketch is a rare model, with only 8,000 made in the colour seen by witnesses.

It is a full-face model that opens from the side to allow conversations without removing the helmet.

Benoit Vinnemann, the head of investigations for the local police force, said: "More than the identikit photo itself, it is the type of helmet that is interesting.

"This is someone who was close to the scene during a time period that interests us and who may have done or seen something.

"He is potentially the perpetrator, but mainly a witness."

A number of theories for the killings have emerged, including the possibility of an inheritance dispute involving Mr al Hill's brother Zaid.

He was arrested by British police in June but was subsequently released and has protested his innocence.