Jérôme Barella at center of expanding Lyhanna case after father's rape allegations and new witness testimony

Following the discovery of 11‑year‑old Lyhanna's body in the Gers department, suspect Jérôme Barella remains under investigation for her murder and for earlier accusations of sexual offences involving minors.

New developments link Barella's family to further alleged crimes. A granddaughter has accused his 70‑year‑old father of rapes committed between 2010 and 2013 when she was 10‑13 years old. A prior non‑prosecution decision was contested by the victim’s family, and a second complaint from another granddaughter was filed in 2018; French authorities have provided no additional details on that case.

In a separate revelation, a woman who spent roughly two years with Barella in a sports club reported receiving unsettling messages from him. She contacted the gendarmerie last week, and investigators plan to summon her for questioning. These revelations intensify scrutiny of the broader Lyhanna investigation and raise further concerns about sexual violence within the family.