Henri Désiré Landru, often referred to as the Bluebeard of Gambais, remains one of France's most notorious serial killers. His heinous acts, committed during a turbulent period in French history, have etched his name into the annals of criminal infamy.

Early Life and Background

Born on April 12, 1869, in Paris, Landru had a relatively unremarkable upbringing. He married in 1891 and fathered four children. Initially, Landru tried his hand at various jobs but eventually turned to petty crimes, for which he served several prison sentences.

The Gambais Murders: A Sinister Pattern

Landru's most infamous crimes began during World War I. In December 1915, he moved to the village of Gambais, where he rented a villa. It was here that he committed a series of murders that would ultimately lead to his notoriety.

Landru's modus operandi was chillingly methodical. He placed advertisements in the lonely hearts sections of newspapers, presenting himself as a wealthy widower seeking companionship. These ads lured unsuspecting women, many of whom were war widows or in desperate social situations.

The Victims and Their Tragic End

Landru's victims were primarily middle-aged women. At least seven women were confirmed to have been murdered by him between December 1915 and January 1919, though the actual number may have been higher. After gaining the trust of these women, Landru would invite them to his villa in Gambais. Once there, the women were never seen again.

The exact method of murder remains unknown, as Landru never confessed to the specifics of his crimes. However, it is widely believed that he killed his victims and then burned their bodies, as investigators found evidence of human remains in his garden.