French Chef Cooks Man's Body in Stew After Botched Break-In
A sleepy village in southern France recently became the setting for a story more suited to a horror novel than real life. When 60-year-old Georges Meichler disappeared from his secluded stone home in the forest, locals had no idea that the trail would lead to one of the most bizarre and disturbing confessions in recent memory. What started as a routine missing persons report spiraled into a grim tale involving burglary, dismemberment, and a pot of vegetables.
A Mysterious Disappearance Raises Alarm
Georges Meichler was known in Brasc as a quiet recluse. His forest home had no running water or electricity, and he kept largely to himself. When his ex-partner reported that she hadn't heard from him, and his daughter received a text message that sounded completely unlike her father — saying he was off to Brittany — suspicions began to mount.
Police launched a missing persons investigation, and neighbors revealed that they had seen unfamiliar individuals in Meichler's Citroën van. That clue led investigators to a pair of local restaurateurs — Philippe Schneider, 69, and Nathalie Caboubassy, 45.
A Shocking Confession Unfolds
After tracking the couple to Camarès, about 24 miles away, police found them with Meichler's stolen van and, more disturbingly, bags containing human remains inside it. Schneider, once a butcher by trade, told police something few were prepared to hear — he had killed Meichler during a botched burglary, dismembered his body, and cooked parts of it in a stew of vegetables.
According to authorities, Schneider initially claimed the death was accidental. He said he and a 25-year-old accomplice, Loup Benrakia, attempted to rob Meichler's home. They gagged the man and left him tied up. When they returned, Meichler had suffocated.
Schneider said panic led him to dismember the body using a butcher's knife, cook portions in a pot (an act he said was inspired by a ritual he learned while traveling in Nepal) and scatter or burn the rest to hide the evidence.
The Trial: Responsibility and Denials
Schneider is now on trial for kidnapping leading to death, concealment of a corpse, and desecration of human remains. His partner, Caboubassy, maintains she played no part in the crime, although she has been charged with complicity. So has Benrakia, who claims he was coerced into participating.
During the proceedings, Schneider's attorney described him as spiraling into addiction and irrationality, claiming he acted under the influence of alcohol and cannabis. Psychological assessments described Schneider as manipulative, with a deep need for control. He reportedly told Benrakia to cook the meat until it "falls off the bones" and to tell anyone asking that it was "food for the dog," according to NDTV.
The verdict is expected soon. Schneider has acknowledged full responsibility for his actions, but questions remain over whether his co-defendants were victims of manipulation — or willing accomplices.
A Community in Shock
As the small community of Brasc grapples with the horror of what transpired, many are left wondering how such a quiet village became the backdrop for such a ghastly tale. Though some details have emerged through court testimony, the full story may never be known.
References: French Restaurateur Admits Chopping Up and Cooking Victim After Cops Make Horror Discovery | French Chef Kills Man, Then Chops And Cooks Dismembered Body In Pot Of Vegetables | Restaurant Owner Allegedly Killed Man During Break-In, Cooked Body In Pots With Vegetables | French Pizza Chef Confesses To Killing Reclusive Man, Then Chopping And Cooking His Body In Pot Of Vegetables
