Death of Elisa Pilarski
The case of Elisa Pilarski concerns the violent death of Elisa Pilarski, a 29-year-old Béarnaise, 6 months pregnant, who was killed on November 16, 2019, by multiple dog bites in the forest of Retz.
At the time of her death Elisa Pilarski was walking a pit bull named Curtis, which belonged to her companion Christophe Ellul. At the same time, a hunting party is organized in the same forest. Shortly after the drama scene, Christophe Ellul arrived after calling his companion to accuse the pack dogs of killing him. Experts differ about whether these dogs were responsible for Élisa Pilarski's death, some stating that Curtis was responsible for her bites.
A judicial investigation led to the indictment of the owner of the Molosse for manslaughter.
Dog
[edit]At the start of the survey, it was presented as a combination of a Patterdale and a Whippet.[1][2] After the gendarmes verified it, it was determined that it's a Pitbull, a dog which is banned in France, and it was illegally imported from the Netherlands. Three months before the tragedy, the dog had won a 'competition of sporting bites' reserved for pit bulls in Belgium.[2]
Legal aspects of dog ownership
[edit]France does not recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier (Pitbull) as a breed, unlike the American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff), which is closely related to this type.[3] The law of 6 January 1999, codified in articles L211-12 to L211-16 of the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code, refers to category 1 for pitbull dogs who do not have French papers, and this applies to the 'dangerous' dogs defined by the interministerial order of 27 April 1999.[3]
The case
[edit]On November 16, 2019, Elisa Pilarski was walking Curtis in the forest of Retz,[4] near the town of Villers-Cotterêts.[5] Christophe Ellul has left to take on his job at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport.[6]
After calling her companion and letting him know she was being attacked, Elisa died around 1:30 p.m. He hurries and discovers his body an hour later.[7] He phones a woman at the forest's exit, who notifies the rescue team.[6]
A post mortem examination showed that the victim had suffered dog bites to the head, torso and arms, causing a severe haemorrhage and massive blood loss.[5]
Investigation
[edit]After the drama, Christophe Ellul, Curtis's master, challenges other dogs, those of the "Rallye La Passion" a hunting event.[4]
The investigators collect DNA from 67 dogs: the five of the couple and the 62 belonging to the La Passion Rallies.[8] On 31 October 2020, the expert report requested by the court to two veterinarians is published. The report states that “Curtis is the sole perpetrator of the bites that caused the death...]. Individualizable bites are compatible with the jaw of only Curtis, not hunting dogs.”[9][10][11]
It also appears that Curtis was trained in biting for competitions banned in France, which turned against the companion of his master.[12]
The experts also examined Curtis’ behaviour, which was described as “predation diverted from its purpose [due to its training] against nature, [resulting in a] form of animal abuse”.[9] The expert opinion further disavows the thesis that Curtis would have defended the victim against the hunting dogs: no trace of the pack's paws around the body, no injury to the hunting dogs resulting from a fight, and the minor injuries on Curtis's head are not from dog bites, but likely caused by himself to pull out his muzzle.[13][14]
The results of the genetic analysis, released on November 3, 2020, confirm the experts' opinion: Curtis's DNA is found on Pilarski's body, not those from the chase.[15][16]
Justice
[edit]On 4 November 2020, Christophe Ellul, was indicted by the Public Prosecutor.[17][18]
On 4 March 2021, Christophe Ellul was charged with manslaughter and placed under judicial supervision. He was prohibited from contacting the victim's family.[19]
The offending dog, Curtis, was taken to a kennel in Haute-Garonne, awaiting his possible euthanasia if his role in the death of his mistress is legally established.[20]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Femme tuée par des chiens dans l'Aisne: ce que l'on sait". La Voix du Nord (in French). 2019-11-22. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ a b "Importation illégale, concours de mordant... Pourquoi le chien Curtis est au cœur de l'enquête Pilarski?". Le Figaro (in French). 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ a b "Les chiens de catégorie 1 et 2 dits " chiens dangereux "". Ministère de l'Agriculture, de la Souveraineté alimentaire et de la Forêt (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ a b "Affaire Elisa Pilarski : ce moment de télé surréaliste où un homme s'est présenté comme "l'avocat du chien"". www.rtl.fr (in French). 2024-09-29. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ a b "Pregnant woman killed by dogs in France during hunt in forest". 2019-11-20. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ a b Coupé, Aymeric (2023-06-16). "Affaire Pilarski. Trois ans après sa mort, Elisa incinérée pour respecter ses dernières volontés". Oise Hebdo (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "Pregnant woman killed by dogs during hunt in French forest". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Affaire Elisa Pilarski : cette expertise vétérinaire qui a été déterminante pour l'enquête". www.rtl.fr (in French). 2024-09-22. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ a b "Elisa Pilaski a été tuée par son chien Curtis, selon un rapport d'expertise" (in French). 2020-10-31. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "Mort d'Elisa Pilarski : un seul chien l'a mordue, celui de son compagnon, selon les experts vétérinaires". Le Nouvel Obs (in French). 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "Affaire Elisa Pilarski : l'ADN confirme que Curtis est le seul responsable". www.rtl.fr (in French). 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "La dernière balade en forêt d'Elisa Pilarski et du chien Curtis" (in French). 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ Coupé, Aymeric (2020-11-06). "Les mensonges d'Ellul qui ont semé le trouble dans l'enquête Pilarski". Oise Hebdo (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ Coupé, Aymeric (2020-11-05). "Affaire Pilarski : le rapport complet de 46 pages qui accuse Curtis". Oise Hebdo (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ LIBERATION. "Mort d'Elisa Pilarski : seul l'ADN de son chien a été retrouvé sur son corps". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "Elisa Pilarski a été tuée par le chien de son compagnon et non par un chien de chasse, annonce le parquet" (in French). 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "Mort d'Elisa Pilarski : son compagnon mis en cause par le procureur après l'implication de son chien Curtis". midilibre.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ Coupé, Aymeric (2020-11-03). "Affaire Pilarski. Le procureur met en cause Christophe Ellul". Oise Hebdo (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "Le compagnon d'Elisa Pilarski, tuée par un chien, mis en examen pour homicide involontaire" (in French). 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ "Mort d'Elisa Pilarski : le chien Curtis, seul responsable du décès selon les expertises, recueilli dans un chenil près de Toulouse". ladepeche.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-10-27.