Catholic priest who fell out with French toddler Emile Soleil's murder suspects 'commits suicide'
26 March 2025, 14:17
A Roman Catholic priest who fell out with those suspected of murdering tragic French boy Émile Soleil has allegedly committed suicide, it emerged today.
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Father Claude Gilliot, 85, baptised the child before his death in the Alps in the summer of 2023, aged just two. He was once extremely close to Émile’s grandparents, Philippe and Anne Vedovini, who are currently in custody in Marseille, along with two of their adult children.
All face criminal charges of ‘intentional homicide’ and ‘hiding a corpse’ in relation to Émile’s death, prosecutors have confirmed.
Read More: Remains belonging to French boy Émile Soleil who vanished eight months ago found in the Alps
Father Gilliot frequently expressed his emotional angst during the saga, and on Wednesday it emerged that he allegedly ‘took his own life’ last Saturday week at his home in Aix-en-Provence.
This is exceptionally unusual for Roman Catholic clergy, who view suicide as a mortal sin, on a par with murder.
An investigating source said the cause of death was ‘a massive overdose,’ and that he left an apparent suicide note saying: "Warn my sister. Tell her I love her. Tell my brother-in-law, I love them. Love alone matters. Proclaim the Gospel. God is good and merciful, O sweet Jesus, gentle and humble of heart."
The Vedovini family are all devout Roman Catholics, and at one stage relied on Father Gilliot for their spiritual guidance, including celebrating Mass and hearing Confessions.
But they fell out after Father Gilliot provided a photo of Émile to the media, in an attempt try and find the little boy. Instead, there was a very public fallout with Émile's maternal grandfather, Philippe Vedovini.
Insults were exchanged, resulting in the family boycotting the Aix-en-Provence chapel where Father Gilliot officiated.
Following Father Gilliot’s death, his sister, Claudine Vandenbroucke, said: "I’m very angry with Émile’s family, because I think it all started with them."
Mgr. Christian Delarbre, the Archbishop of Aix, called for "all members of the diocese to join in prayers" for Father Gilliot, who was a Dominican priest.
The custody period for Philippe and Anne Vedovini, both 59, was extended on Wednesday following their arrests on Tuesday, along with two adult children.
Émile was staying at the Vedovinis’ isolated holiday home in the Alpine hamlet of Haut-Vernet, south of Grenoble, when he went missing in July 2023.
His remains, including a fractured skull, were found nearby nine months later, following daily searches.Enquiry sources have confirmed that the Vedovinis, who were looking after Émile when he went missing, were arrested following months of police wire taps.
Conversations between them and other family members were all secretly listened to, while enquiries were conducted around their lives.
Mr Vedovini is also under investigation in connection with an entirely different case relating to sex abuse at a Roman Catholic School in the 1990s.
He was training to be a monk when he worked at Riaumont, a Catholic community that includes a boarding school for troubled youngsters in Northern France. Mr Vedovini, who was known as Brother Philippe at the time, denies any wrongdoing.
He gave up his vocation to become a monk, in order to marry his wife, Anne Vedovini.They brought up 10 children, including Émile’s mother, who is now known by her married name of Marie Soleil, and she is married to Émile's father, Colomban Soleil, 27.
Emile’s parents have not been arrested in relation to the current murder enquiry.
