Historian Geri Walton relates the gruesome tale of Martin Dumollard, France’s first serial killer. Dumollard was guillotined in 1862 after being found guilty of multiple counts of murder. The authorities attributed 11 murders to Dumollard, and numerous assaults and attempted murders, though the true number of all with never be known. His wife was sentenced to hard labor as his accomplice. Among the most damning evidence were the hundreds of articles of women’s clothing found at the residence, which presumably did not belong to Mme. Dumollard.
What could you do with a character like Dumollard or his wife? Given human nature, it’s unlikely he was France’s actual first serial killer, but only the first to be known as such. Who may have come before him? What other firsts are left to be uncovered by historians? What happens next?
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