Two men have been charged after an 85-year-old British man was beaten to death in his home in a French village. John Agner, a retired wood carver, was found with severe head injuries two weeks ago in his house an hour north of Pau.
Discovery after stolen car chase
The discovery came after his stolen vehicle was chased at high speed and crashed in a dead end in Mont-de-Marsan, 25 miles away. Police traced the registration plate to Mr Agner and made the discovery in the early hours of Saturday, September 26.
The victim lived on the outskirts of the picturesque village of Verlus, near Toulouse.
Suspects held in custody
Prosecutors have said the main suspect is a 32-year-old man with 21 previous convictions. He has been charged with robbery preceded by or accompanied with violence resulting in death.
He is also accused of a second attempted murder last week involving a woman in her 70s. She was attacked in her home in Mont-de-Marsan, where she was smothered, and survived. Her car was stolen but later found by police, with officers highlighting links between the two incidents.
A second man, 26, is held in connection with Mr Agner's death. Both men are locals and are being held in custody awaiting trial. The two men were held along with four others in a multi-agency operation involving detectives from the Toulouse criminal investigation branch and local police. No details of the other four held have been shared.
