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Autopsies Confirm Asphyxia in Portugal Killings as Children Return to France Thursday

Attention shifts to extradition decisions over who will try the suspect.

Overview

  • Autopsy findings disclosed Wednesday confirm that the suspect’s partner, 26, and ex-partner, 40, died by asphyxia after their bodies were found buried in Portugal.
  • The two children, a 12-year-old boy and his 18-month-old half-sister, will be handed to French authorities in Lisbon on Thursday for repatriation and placement with child protection services.
  • Cédric Prizzon, 42, remains in pre-trial detention in Portugal after police stopped him during a roadside check with the children, and multiple outlets report he told a judge he killed both women but denied premeditation.
  • Judicial teams in Portugal and France are coordinating on jurisdiction, with Portugal competent if the killings occurred there and France set to pursue the abductions as a European arrest warrant and possible extradition are discussed.
  • Portuguese media report the 12-year-old gave details that led police to the remote burial site, a key lead that shaped the early phase of the investigation.