An 82-year-old Portuguese woman and her 85-year-old husband were shot dead in their garden by a 90-year-old neighbor in Lagor, France, following a property dispute that spanned more than twenty years, local authorities and reports confirmed this week.
Alcina Calhau and Avelino Ferreira, originally from Alvite in the municipality of Moimenta da Beira, Portugal, had emigrated more than four decades prior and spent the last thirty years living in the French village of Lagor (Observador). The tragic confrontation unfolded around 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday (Correio da Manhã) when the victims were suddenly targeted while standing in the garden of their home (Bomdia).
Decades of Neighborly Conflict in Lagor
The suspected gunman, also a 90-year-old Portuguese national, unleashed at least four shotgun rounds at the couple (Correio da Manhã). According to local accounts gathered by journalists, the deadly violence culminated after more than twenty years of bitter disagreements between the neighboring households concerning a shared plot of land and property boundaries (Observador).
Residents familiar with the situation noted that tensions had long plagued the neighborhood over trivial matters. One local resident, identified as José, recalled interacting with the victims only hours before the shooting during a walk organized by the Lagor seniors’ club (Bomdia).
José stated that they had already been involved in a fight, according to Bomdia.
Another neighbor, Christian, told reporters that the suspect and his wife frequently entered into arguments with various community members over minor issues (Bomdia). Following the shooting, the suspect reportedly claimed to authorities that he retrieved his hunting weapon after being struck by a stone thrown by his neighbor (Bomdia). Police detained the nonagenarian at the scene without further incident (Bomdia).
Community Shock and Municipal Reaction in Lagor
Local leadership painted a stark contrast between the victims and the suspected shooter. Franck Rolland, the mayor of Lagor, addressed the community’s grief and described the profound disconnect between the parties involved (Bomdia).
Franck Rolland remarked that they had the misfortune of crossing paths with people who did not share the same values regarding life, adding how anyone could kill people over something so trivial, according to Bomdia.
The mayor characterized the suspect and his wife as residents who never integrated into the parish—residents who never integrated into the parish—in sharp contrast to Alcina and Avelino, whom he praised as lovely people deeply engaged in local associations, particularly the bridge club (Observador), (Bomdia).
The municipality announced the immediate cancellation of upcoming village festivities that had been scheduled for the weekend (Observador).
Judicial Proceedings and Next Steps
The suspect remains in custody following his arrest at the scene (Bomdia). Legal proceedings are advancing rapidly as judicial authorities prepare to bring the 90-year-old before an investigating magistrate for an initial judicial interrogation, where he is expected to face formal charges of double homicide (Bomdia).
Читайте также
