Editing Henri Désiré Landru (section)

=== Murders at Gambais ===
[[File:Landru Gambais 1919.jpg|thumb|Villa Tric ("L'Ermitage") in Gambais]]
By late 1915, neighbours in Vernouillet were suspicious. Feeling exposed, Landru sought greater seclusion. In December 1915, he rented the isolated Villa Tric, nicknamed "L'Ermitage" ('The Hermitage'),{{sfn|Monesutie|1991|pp=100-101}} in the village of [[Gambais]], south of Paris.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2831}} Situated 300 metres from the nearest house, it offered privacy.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}} Upon moving in, Landru promptly purchased a large [[Cooking stove|kitchen oven]]<ref group="n">Some Japanese sources refer to the appliance as a "stove" (ストーブ).{{harvnb|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}</ref> and a large quantity of coal.{{harvnb|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}

==== Berthe Héon (December 1915 or January 1916) ====
'''Berthe-Anna Héon''' (55<ref group="n">Sources vary, stating 54{{harvnb|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} or 55.{{harvnb|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}}</ref>), a widow originally from Le Havre working as a cleaner near Paris, had endured significant personal losses, including her husband, lover, son in the war, and daughter.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}} She responded to Landru's second lonely hearts ad in summer 1915.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}} Landru, posing as a businessman seeking a wife for a move to Tunisia,<ref name="LeJournal1915"/> convinced her to sell her belongings.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}} On December 8, 1915, Landru purchased train tickets to Gambais: a return for himself, a single for her. Héon vanished soon after, presumed killed and incinerated in the new oven.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}}{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} Landru later sent postcards to her friends, claiming to write on her behalf as she couldn't.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=143}}

==== Anna Collomb (27 December 1916) ====
'''Anna Collomb'''<ref group="n">Also spelled Ana Collomb{{harvnb|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} or Ana Collombe.{{harvnb|Sairyakkusu|1996|pp=662-664}}</ref> (44<ref group="n">Sources vary, stating 44{{harvnb|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2812-2815}} or 45.{{harvnb|Monesutie|1991|pp=99-100}}</ref>), an intelligent, attractive widow working as an insurance company typist, had 10,000 francs saved.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|pp=144-145}} She had a partner but seemingly couldn't marry him.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|pp=144-145}} She answered Landru's May 1, 1915 ad (claiming to be 29{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2812-2815}}), perhaps seeking a stepfather for her illegitimate young daughter reportedly placed with nuns in Italy (the child was never found).{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|pp=144-145}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2812-2815}} Landru delayed meeting her until 1916 due to involvement with other victims.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|pp=144-145}} Once they met, Collomb quickly preferred Landru to her existing partner.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}} Her family distrusted Landru but couldn't deter her.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|pp=144-145}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}} Collomb's sister visited the couple at Gambais on December 14. Anna Collomb disappeared after December 27, 1916.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2831}}{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|pp=144-145}}{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}}

==== Andrée Babelay (12 April 1917) ====
'''Andrée-Anna Babelay'''<ref group="n">Also spelled Andrée Bablay.{{harvnb|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}}</ref> (19{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}}), described as pretty but poor, worked as a domestic servant or nanny, possibly supplementing her income with casual prostitution.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}}{{sfn|Monesutie|1991|p=99}} Landru encountered her crying on a Paris Métro platform in early 1917 after she ran away from home following a quarrel with her mother.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}} He invited her to his rented room near Gare du Nord, where they lived for ten days. On March 11, she visited her mother, announcing she was getting married. On March 29, Landru took her to Gambais (again, return ticket for him, single for her). She stayed for two weeks, seen learning to ride a bicycle by a game warden.<ref name="Lecoq"/> Babelay disappeared after April 12, 1917.{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2831}}{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}} Prosecutors suggested she was killed either because she witnessed something incriminating or because Landru, initially attracted by her youth, simply tired of her.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}}

==== Célestine Buisson (c. 1 September 1917) ====
'''Célestine Buisson'''<ref group="n">Also spelled Célestine Buisson{{harvnb|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} or Buisson.{{harvnb|Monesutie|1991|pp=99-100}}{{harvnb|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}}</ref> (47, though reported as 44 in one source{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2814}}), a homely, trusting, semi-literate, and reportedly frugal widowed housekeeper,{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2814}} had around 10,000 francs saved from her late husband's hotel business.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2814}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2813-2814}} Lonely after her illegitimate son was mobilized, she answered Landru's May 1, 1915 advertisement.{{sfn|Rēn|1996|pp=58-59}} Landru (as "Georges Frémyet") corresponded sympathetically, became "engaged" quickly, but then stalled the marriage for over two years, blaming lost documents and fabricated business trips abroad.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}} He reappeared in July 1917. They grew closer after he assisted with her sister's funeral, and he proposed again.<ref group="n">One theory suggests the delay was due to Buisson's reserved nature.{{harvnb|Monesutie|1991|pp=99-100}}</ref>{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2826-2827}} Her family found "Frémyet" evasive and suspicious but couldn't sway Célestine.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2813-2814}} Entrusting her son to her half-sister, Marie Lacoste,{{sfn|Rēn|1996|pp=58-59}} Buisson moved to Paris with Landru. On August 19, Landru bought the familiar one return, one single ticket pattern for Gambais.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}} She disappeared after September 1, 1917.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2831}}{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} Landru's bank balance soon increased by 1,000 francs.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=145}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2826-2827}} He later returned to her apartment, showed the concierge a forged authorization letter, claimed Buisson was running a canteen for US troops in the south, and aggressively removed and sold her furniture.{{sfn|Faidō|1997|p=148}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2826-2827}}

==== Louise Jaume (c. 26 November 1917) ====
[[File:Jaume, Louise Léopoldine.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Louise Léopoldine Jaume]]
'''Louise-Joséphine Jaume'''<ref group="n">Also spelled Louise Joumet.{{harvnb|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}}</ref> (38{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}}), a devout Catholic dress shop assistant, was recently divorced.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}} She met Landru (as "Lucien Guillet", a supposed refugee from the Ardennes) through a marriage bureau in summer 1917. She initially resisted his advances due to her faith{{sfn|Monesutie|1991|pp=99-100}} but eventually accepted his proposal after attending Mass with him at Sacré-Cœur. Landru took her to Gambais on November 15, 1917, with a single ticket.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}} She disappeared around November 24 or 26, 1917.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2831}}{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} Landru stole her 275 francs and withdrew 1,400 francs from her bank account on November 30.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}}

==== Anne-Marie Pascal (5 April 1918) ====
'''Anne-Marie ('Annette') Pascal'''<ref group="n">Also spelled Ann Marie Pascal.{{harvnb|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}}</ref> (36), also divorced,{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}}{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}} worked as a dressmaker near Père Lachaise Cemetery and possibly engaged in prostitution.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}} Nicknamed "Mme Sombrero" for her hats, she sought a "sugar daddy" and responded to Landru's ad in ''La Presse'' in September 1916.<ref name="Tomlinson37"/> She became his mistress. Uniquely, she expressed fear of Landru, writing to her aunt days before disappearing: "I don't know who he is, but I'm scared. When he looks at me with those eyes, it chills me. There's something demonic about him."{{sfn|Monesutie|1991|pp=100-101}} On April 5, 1918, Landru took her to Gambais (single ticket); she vanished.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}}{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} Landru and his son Charles later sold her furniture.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}}

==== Marie-Thérèse Marchadier (13 January 1919) ====
'''Marie-Thérèse Marchadier'''<ref group="n">Also spelled Marchandier.{{harvnb|Monesutie|1991|pp=99-100}}</ref> (37, though reported as 36 in one source{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2833}}), originally from Bordeaux, ran a small boarding house on Rue Saint-Jacques, Paris, and engaged in prostitution. She was known for walking her two beloved Belgian Griffon dogs.<ref name="Tomlinson71"/> Heavily indebted, she contacted Landru (under an alias) in late 1918, possibly after seeing an ad offering to buy furniture, or perhaps having met him years earlier.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}}<ref name="Tomlinson71"/> Landru, needing cash himself, borrowed from his wife to potentially buy Marchadier's property. He proposed marriage; she replied her only wish was to live in the country.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}} He took her to Gambais on January 9, 1919. Despite her strong will, she agreed to cohabit and sell her furniture, receiving 2,000 francs after returning briefly to Paris.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}} On January 13, 1919, Landru escorted her back to Gambais, reportedly carrying two bags of coal.{{sfn|Wiruson|Pittoman|1963|p=146}} She disappeared that day.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|p=2831}}{{sfn|Rēn|Gureggu|1995|p=198}} On January 16, neighbours reported nauseatingly foul smoke pouring from the villa's chimney.{{sfn|Shōshin Shobō|1997|pp=2830-2835}}

{{Gallery
|title=Victims associated with Gambais
|File:Berthe Héon.jpg|Berthe Héon
|File:Anna Collomb.jpg|Anna Collomb
|File:Andrée Babelay.jpg|Andrée Babelay
|File:Célestine Buisson.jpg|Célestine Buisson
|File:Jaume, Louise Léopoldine.jpg|Louise Jaume
|File:Anne-Marie Pascal.jpg|Anne-Marie Pascal
|File:Marie-Thérèse Marchadier.jpg|Marie-Thérèse Marchadier
}}