Editing Henri Désiré Landru (section)

=== Murders at Vernouillet ===
In December 1914, Landru rented the Villa Ermitage in [[Vernouillet, Yvelines|Vernouillet]], 35 km northwest of Paris. This became the site of his first confirmed murders.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2831}}

==== Jeanne and André Cuchet (late January or early February 1915) ====
'''Jeanne-Marie Cuchet'''<ref group="n" name="Cuchet_variant">Also spelled Jeanne Koushet{{harvnb|Sairyakkusu|1996|pp=662-664}} or Jeanne Couchet.{{harvnb|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}}</ref> (39{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}), an attractive Parisian lingerie seamstress widowed in 1909,{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|pp=142-143}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2812-2815}} had met Landru before the war, likely in 1914. He used the alias "Raymond Diard," claiming to be a postal inspector or industrialist from [[Lille]] displaced by the war.{{sfn|Monesutie|1991|p=99}} He charmed Jeanne, promising marriage and a secure future for her and her illegitimate son, '''André''' (then 16 or 17<ref group="n">Sources vary on André's age, stating 16{{harvnb|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}} or 17.{{harvnb|Monesutie|1991|pp=99-100}}</ref>), even offering to secure André a government job.{{sfn|Monesutie|1991|p=99}} Jeanne's sister and brother-in-law distrusted "Diard," sensing he was a fraud, but Jeanne dismissed their concerns.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}}

After Landru disappeared briefly at the war's outbreak, a distraught Jeanne, accompanied by André and her brother-in-law, visited Landru's empty house near Chantilly. There, they found papers revealing his real identity (including marriage and criminal records).<ref name="HardyStatement"/>{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}<ref name="FriedmanInterview"/> Despite this, and arguments over his reluctance to marry,{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}}{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}} Jeanne reconciled with Landru when he reappeared. She severed ties with her warning family{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}} and, in December 1914, moved with André into Landru's rented villa in Vernouillet.{{sfn|Monesutie|1991|p=99}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2831}} André, meanwhile, was eagerly anticipating his early military recruitment.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2812-2815}}

Jeanne and André were last seen alive around 26 January 1915.{{sfn|Sairyakkusu|1996|pp=662-664}}<ref name="CuchetLetter"/> Shortly after, neighbours reported thick, acrid smoke smelling of burning flesh billowing from Landru's chimney. Investigating police accepted Landru's explanation that he was burning rubbish.{{sfn|Sairyakkusu|1996|pp=662-664}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}} It is almost certain he murdered and incinerated them in his stove.{{sfn|Sairyakkusu|1996|pp=662-664}} Landru had deposited 5,000 francs (claimed as inheritance) in June 1914, which police suspected came from Jeanne.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}

==== Thérèse Laborde-Line (26 June 1915) ====
'''Thérèse Laborde-Line'''<ref group="n">Also spelled Thérèse Laporte-Line{{harvnb|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} or Laporte-Line.{{harvnb|Sairyakkusu|1996|pp=662-663}}</ref> (46{{sfn|Monesutie|1991|pp=99-100}}), an Argentine-born divorced widow and former hotelier, felt estranged from her son and daughter-in-law.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}} She met Landru in June 1915, likely through his May 1 advertisement or one she placed herself. On June 21, telling friends she was moving to her "future husband's house," she sold her furniture.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}} She was seen gardening at the Vernouillet villa but disappeared after June 26, 1915.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}}{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} Landru subsequently sold her securities and stored some remaining furniture in his garage.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}

==== Marie-Angélique Guillin (c. 3 August 1915) ====
'''Marie-Angélique Guillin''' (51{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}), a retired housekeeper living near Gare de Lyon,{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}} inherited 22,000 francs and responded to Landru's May 1, 1915 ad.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}} Believing his story of being the next Consul-General to Australia needing a hostess wife, she visited his villa and returned apparently overjoyed.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}} On August 2, she moved from her apartment to Vernouillet. She vanished two days later, around August 3.{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} Landru sold her securities and, posing as her brother-in-law authorized to act for her due to paralysis, withdrew 12,000 francs from her bank account.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}} Starting in August, a trunk was left abandoned at a local train station. Months later, in February 1916, station staff noticed a foul odor; the trunk contained the badly decomposed, dismembered remains of an unidentified middle-aged woman.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}}

{{Gallery
|title=Victims associated with Vernouillet
|File:Jeanne Cuchet.jpg|Jeanne Cuchet
|File:André Cuchet.jpg|André Cuchet
|File:Thérèse Laborde-Line.jpg|Thérèse Laborde-Line
|File:Marie-Angélique Guillin.jpg|Marie-Angélique Guillin
}}