The Basement Stairs Murder: A Swiss Family Betrayal

In January 2006, the bodies of a wealthy widow named Ruth and her friend Marina were discovered in a basement in Switzerland, sparking a complex investigation into Ruth's dysfunctional family and their ongoing inheritance disputes. Investigators initially suspected Ruth's missing daughter, Mary, but later shifted their focus to Ruth's adopted son, François, after finding his DNA on the victim's clothing and concluding that hair evidence implicating Mary had likely been planted. Although Mary’s body was never located and several witnesses provided conflicting testimonies regarding the victims' time of death, François was ultimately convicted of three murders and sentenced to life in prison.