CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERES, France, May 28 (UPI) -- The French man who raped and killed at least seven women and schoolgirls was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, as was his wife.
Michel Fourniret, 66, called "Beast of the Ardennes" after the heavily wooded region where his crimes occurred, and Monique Olivier, 59, were described as "inhuman and cruel criminals" by prosecutors during the trial in French town of Charleville-Mezieres near the Belgian border, the Daily Mail reported.
The pair also will be tried for at least three other unsolved murders, including that of British student Joanna Parrish, the British newspaper reported. Fourniret wrote to a judge last year, asking to be investigated in the death of Parish, a 20-year-old university student, and two other girls, ages 9 and 19, saying "their families deserve an explanation."
During the two-month trial, Fourniret admitted he was "hunting" girls from 1987 to 2003. His victims, ranging in age from 12 to 21, were shot, strangled or stabbed with a screwdriver.
Pierre Blocquaux, Fourniret's attorney, said he would not appeal the jury verdict because his client "doesn't want to defend himself because he considers he is indefensible. He won't ask for a pardon because he is unpardonable."
