Véronique Frantz
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Véronique Frantz | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1825 |
| Died | August 3, 1854 (aged 28–29) Barr, Bas-Rhin, France |
| Cause of death | Execution by beheading |
| Other names | The Poisoner of Nothalten |
| Conviction | Murder ×3 |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Details | |
| Victims | 3 |
Span of crimes | 1852–1854 |
| Country | France |
| State | Alsace |
Date apprehended | 1854 |
Véronique Frantz (c. 1825 – August 3, 1854) was a French serial killer. While working as a maid, she poisoned the family of her employer with arsenic from 1852 to 1854, in an attempt to marry her male employer. After his death, she was arrested, charged and convicted of the three murders, for which she was subsequently executed in 1854.[1]
Sometime during 1848, Frantz was hired to work as a servant to the household of George Guntz, a winemaker who lived together with his wife, son and his parents in Nothalten. Despite her status as a housemaid, Frantz was treated almost as a family member by everyone in the household due to her diligence and hard work. However, she was also admonished for her domineering and at times brash behavior.[2]
In late November 1852, after Guntz's wife Marie-Elisabeth Ruhlmann overcame an unspecified illness, Frantz was told by her employer that in the sad case that his wife would pass away, he would consider her as a potential pick for marriage.[3] Desiring to become his mistress, Frantz started using the arsenic bottles stored in the house's attic to poison the food and drinks she served to the family, with her first attempt resulting in most of the family members developing symptoms such as nausea and profuse vomiting, but still managing to live. After this incident, Guntz's mother-in-law, 75-year-old Marie-Anne Kobleth, threatened to leave the house if Guntz did not fire Frantz, which he refused to do. Fearing possible repercussions, Frantz continued poisoning Kobleth's drinks until she eventually succumbed to her illness on December 1, 1852.[2]
After Kobleth's death, Frantz regained full control over the family, as the remainder of the family was often sickly and weakened. The next tragedy came with the death of Ruhlmann, who died after suffering from the aforementioned symptoms on July 6, 1853.[2] While no inquest was held on the cause of death, some of her close friends believed that Frantz was responsible in some way, but could not accuse her without substantial evidence.[2]
Since her mistress's death, Frantz believed that she could now become Guntz's wife, only to learn that he had chosen to marry another woman from a neighboring village.[2] Angered by this revelation, she continued to poison the food and drinks, often preventing Guntz from participating in the preparation of the upcoming wedding ceremonies. Eventually, Guntz succumbed from the effects of the poison on January 27, 1854, aged 44, leaving his father-in-law and six-year-old son, who both suffered more mild symptoms of the arsenic poisoning, as the only surviving members of the household.[2]