Horrific Crime: French Man on Trial for Shooting and Burning Ex-Wife Alive in Bordeaux Murder Case

BORDEAUX, March 25 — A French-Algerian man went on trial in France on Monday for the brutal murder of his wife in 2021, a case that horrified the public and led to widespread criticism of law enforcement for failing to protect her.

In 2021, Mounir Boutaa, now 48, relentlessly stalked his estranged wife, Chahinez Daoud, after their separation. He even purchased a van, which he parked outside her home near Bordeaux in southwestern France, using it to surveil her unnoticed.

On May 4 of that year, he ambushed Daoud in the street, shooting her in both legs before dousing her in petrol and setting her on fire. A neighbor who heard her screams attempted to intervene, but it was too late—her body was found completely charred. Daoud was 31 years old and a mother of three.

Boutaa, who recorded part of the horrific act, was arrested shortly afterward. During police questioning, he reportedly admitted, “I wanted to burn her for all the things that she and the judiciary did.” However, he denied intending to kill her, claiming he only meant to “punish” her, burn her “a little,” and leave visible scars.

A builder by trade, Boutaa had a history of domestic violence. He had been released from prison in late 2020 after serving a sentence for choking Daoud and threatening her with a knife. He had also been previously accused of abuse by another partner.

Despite a court-issued restraining order prohibiting him from approaching Daoud, the two resumed living together until March 2021, when she filed another police complaint. Investigators later found that the officer handling her case—who himself had a history of domestic violence—failed to take necessary protective measures. As a result, an inquiry was launched into multiple police failures.

Authorities did not provide Daoud with a “serious danger phone”—a device that allows women in danger to alert authorities directly. Furthermore, Boutaa was not required to wear an electronic bracelet that could have monitored his movements near her.

The investigation led to disciplinary actions against five police officers, and the victim’s family has since filed a case against the French state for “serious failures” in handling her protection.

On Monday, demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse to protest the authorities’ response.

“We're here mostly to speak out against the government that fails to do its job,” said one protester, who declined to give her name. “Especially against the police who don’t protect women.”

According to France’s interior ministry, 96 cases of domestic femicide were recorded in 2023, marking a 19% decrease from the previous year. — AFP