Thierry Paulin was a talented Drag Artist and performer- he was also one of France’s most vicious serial killers. Born on the Caribbean island of Martinique, Paulin moved to Paris as a teenager and began working in bars and restaurants to make ends meet. While he was doing this he was in the Military, but he was loathed for his open homosexuality and skin colour. While working in a nightclub, he became infatuated with Jean-Thierry Mathurin, a drug addict and dealer. The pair became inseparable.
On October 5th, 1984, Paulin attacked two elderly women, killing one by smothering her with a pillow. He then robbed her for 300 francs ($50) and left her friend for dead. This callous murder would be the very beginning of the local legend of the old-lady-killer known by the name of The Beast of Montmartre. For a month straight, Paulin went on to murder at least 8 more elderly women. The way in which he killed these innocent victims was particularly cruel; some were stabbed, others had plastic bags wrapped tightly around their heads. Some were even forced to drink drain-cleaner resulting in a slow, agonising death.
From December 1985, to June 1986, eight more old women were murdered. Although police didn’t have a suspect, they matched the fingerprints to the same murders in 1984 so they knew they had a vicious serial killer on their hands. After these murders, Paulin served time for attacking one of his cocaine dealers with a baseball bat. In prison, he discovered he was HIV positive, a diagnosis that only made his hatred for those around him spiral out of control.
In the space of one week in November 1987, Paulin attacked his last three victims. He murdered Rachel Cohen (79) and then attacked Berthe Finalteri (87) on the same day. A few days later he strangled Genevieve Germont, his last ever victim. Miraculously, Berthe survived her attack and was able to give detectives an accurate description of the mysterious figure they called The Beast. She said that he was “A mixed-race man in his twenties, with hair like Carl Lewis and an earring in his left ear.” The very next day, a patrolling officer spotted Paulin who matched the description perfectly. He was arrested and eventually confessed to 21 murders in total.
While awaiting trial, Paulin succumbed to his HIV and died from complications. His long-term boyfriend was arrested for his part in at least 9 of the murders. He received a life sentence, while his deceased boyfriend was technically never held accountable for his vicious crimes. The Beast of Montmartre may be safely off the streets, but those living in 1980′s Paris will always remember the fear that once swept across the city for every little old lady’s safety.