In a terrifying incident that has shaken France, a 69-year-old ex-butcher-turned-pizza chef has admitted to murdering a man, dismembering his body, and purportedly cooking bits of the dead man with vegetables as part of a twisted attempt to conceal his crime.

Philippe Schneider, from the remote village of Brasc in southern France, is currently on trial along with his partner Nathalie Caboubassy, 45, for the 2023 murder of 60-year-old Georges Meichler. A third individual, a 25-year-old gravedigger, is also charged with complicity. Meichler, who resided alone in a stone house with no electricity or running water, was discovered missing after neighbors no longer saw him, and his daughter reported receiving a suspicious text message. The case took a disturbing turn when the authorities tracked Meichler's van to a site close to a council premises in Camares, some 24 miles away. Inside the vehicle, investigators reportedly discovered blood stains and bags containing dismembered human remains.

During questioning, Schneider confessed to the murder. The Telegraph reported that he admitted to tying up and gagging Meichler in a burglary gone wrong. The victim died of suffocation after being bound. Schneider then allegedly dismembered the body using a butcher’s knife, burned the head, hands, and feet, and scattered remains in various locations.

Body Cooked With Vegetables: "Food for the Dog," He Claimed

In perhaps the most terrifying part of the case, Schneider allegedly boiled chunks of Meichler's body in a vegetable pot, using what he described as a Nepalese ritual that was supposed to cover up the smell. A 25-year-old gravedigger said Schneider told him to cook the meat until it “fell off the bone.” “He told me to say it was food for the dog if anyone asked,” the gravedigger confessed, as reported by The Sun.

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Schneider "takes full responsibility," said defense lawyer Luc Abratkiewicz in an interview with The Telegraph. Schneider blames alcohol and cannabis addiction for his crimes. The suspects allegedly planned to rob Meichler of a "few thousand euros."“He gags him, it goes badly, he dies… He made a serious mistake,” said Abratkiewicz. “Afterward, he continued to sink into absurdity and horror.” Caboubassy has denied any role in the crime, claiming she did not know Schneider’s actions. But she remains on trial for complicity, along with the gravedigger.

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