Portuguese authorities have apprehended a former French law enforcement officer with a turbulent history of domestic disputes, now accused of the brutal murders of two women following an international manhunt. Cedric Prizzon, 42, was intercepted by police near Meda in northern Portugal while traveling with his two children, aged 12 years and 18 months. The arrest culminated a multinational search operation initiated after both his current partner and former girlfriend vanished from their residences in France’s Aveyron region last week.
Investigative units subsequently discovered two human remains interred in a remote location, believed to be those of the missing women. Prizzon’s vehicle yielded substantial evidence including a pump-action shotgun, counterfeit documentation, altered license plates, and approximately €17,000 in cash. The suspect, who previously served in the Paris police force and participated in rugby at youth international level, had been engaged in protracted custody litigation regarding his son.
Judicial proceedings commenced Thursday at the Vila Nova de Foz Côa courthouse, where local residents expressed outrage by chanting accusations as the defendant arrived. The children are scheduled for repatriation to France while identification protocols and evidence consolidation continue. Prizzon’s history includes prior convictions for harassment and unlawful child relocation to Spain in 2021, alongside active participation in fathers’ rights demonstrations protesting custody decisions.
French investigators had designated Prizzon as the prime suspect shortly after the disappearances, noting his pattern of social media campaigns against his former partner. Community members from the affected villages expressed shock at the violence, with one resident noting that while they considered Prizzon ‘unhinged,’ they never anticipated such extreme actions. The judicial review may extend through Friday as authorities continue questioning the suspect.
