A Frantic Call and a Vanishing Expectant mother

In May 1995, what began as an ordinary evening for Roland Moog, a projectionist at the Star cinema in Strasbourg, quickly spiraled into a nightmare. A phone call from his partner, Carole Prin, nine months pregnant and experiencing contractions, signaled the imminent arrival of their child. Carole informed Roland that she was heading to the clinic alone. He arranged for a colleague to cover his shift and rushed to the clinic around 11 PM, only to discover that Carole had vanished without a trace.

Initial Investigations and a Man of secrets

Six months after carole’s disappearance, police questioned Roland Moog. He maintained that Carole had no reason to leave, emphasizing their shared excitement about the impending birth of their son, Guillaume. However, investigators soon uncovered a disturbing pattern: Roland Moog harbored a penchant for secrecy and compartmentalization in his life.

He is a 40-year-old man who is nothing special, neither in his physique, nor in his lifestyle… He has a strong partitioning in his life, including his private life.So much so that he has two children from a previous relationship, which his own parents are not aware of.

Maître Éric Braun, Roland Moog’s lawyer

This revelation painted a picture of a man leading a double life, raising questions about his true character and motives.

The Gruesome Finding: A Body in a Trunk

The inquiry took a macabre turn in March 1999, three months after Roland Moog’s indictment. His twin brother,Daniel,reported a horrifying discovery to the Strasbourg gendarmerie: a body believed to be Carole Prin’s. Daniel and a friend stumbled upon the remains while moving Roland’s belongings, which had been stored in a garage for months. Among the items was a heavy, locked trunk.

Driven by curiosity, they forced the padlock and opened the trunk, revealing the naked, decomposing body of a woman. The skeletal remains, measuring 1.56 meters, carried a fetus of approximately fifty centimeters. A forensic examination revealed a gunshot wound to the skull, confirming the victim’s identity as Carole Prin.

Conflicting Stories and a Cinema Cellar Confession

roland Moog’s narrative shifted repeatedly throughout the investigation, further fueling suspicion. Five years after Carole’s disappearance, he offered a new version of events. He claimed that Carole confronted him at the cinema on May 16,1995,accusing him of neglecting her during her pregnancy and failing to find a new apartment. The argument escalated, leading them to the cinema’s cellar, where they had planned to measure a wardrobe.

According to moog, Carole’s reproaches continued, culminating in a fateful moment of violence.

Since that’s how it is, at the limit I would give birth alone, and that’s it!

Carole Prin (according to Roland Moog’s testimony)

Moog claimed that as Carole turned to leave, he grabbed a revolver he used for target practice in the cellar and fired, claiming it was accidental. He stated that Carole fell to the ground, dead.

Motive and the Weight of a Double Life

The question of motive remained a central point of contention. Some argued that Roland Moog’s complex double life, including a secret family, made the prospect of a third child unbearable. the pressure of maintaining his carefully constructed facade may have driven him to desperate measures.

It was almost impossible for him, with the occurrence of this third child, to continue to hide the sides of his life. In reality, he was trapped. So the question of the mobile is vague.

guillaume tion, author of “The Missing of the Cinema”

Justice Served: A 25-Year Sentence

Six years after the discovery of Carole Prin’s body, Roland Moog stood trial. The prosecution portrayed him as a cold-blooded killer who sought to control his destiny, arguing that a woman and a baby would have disrupted his carefully orchestrated life. The defense countered by depicting Moog as a manipulator who had spun a web of lies and inconsistencies.

Ultimately, the court found Roland Moog guilty and sentenced him to 25 years in prison, with a mandatory 15-year safety sentence.