Six years after her disappearance, investigators make a gruesome discovery

Here's what it's all about

• Delphine Jubillar's remains were identified through DNA analysis.
• Her husband, Cédric Jubillar, had confessed in early July and led investigators to the site where the body was found.
• Despite the discovery of the body, the exact cause of death remains unclear.

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For nearly six years, there was no trace of Delphine Jubillar. It is now clear that the human bones discovered in the French department of Tarn belong to the nurse who disappeared without a trace in December 2020.

Why is this case stirring up an entire country? blue News answers the most important questions.

The nurse, who was 33 at the time, disappeared during the night of December 15–16, 2020, from the couple’s home in Cagnac-les-Mines in southern France—in the midst of the COVID-19 curfew. She left behind two children.

At the time of her disappearance, her marriage to Cédric Jubillar was on the rocks; the couple was in the process of getting a divorce. According to investigators, Delphine wanted to start a new life with another man.

Although Cédric Jubillar himself reported his wife missing and denied any involvement for years, investigators uncovered numerous incriminating pieces of evidence. Witnesses testified that he had threatened to kill his wife on several occasions.

Although neither a body nor clear evidence of a violent crime was found, suspicion continued to grow. In October 2025, Jubillar was therefore sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder—even though his wife’s remains had not yet been discovered at that time.

In early July 2026, there was a surprising turn of events. A few months before the appeal proceedings were set to begin, Jubillar wrote to his lawyer, stating that he was responsible for his wife’s death.

He then explained to investigators in detail how the crime had unfolded, how he had disposed of the body, and where it was hidden. His attorney told BFMTV that his client had shown “deep remorse” and had even referred to it as a “heinous crime.”

Based on information provided by the convicted man, investigators searched an agricultural area near Mailhoc in the Tarn department—a location that had never been investigated before. There, they discovered human bones that were unequivocally identified as those of Delphine Jubillar through DNA analysis within less than 48 hours.

According to the French authorities, parts of the lower body were found. It is believed that some of the remains were scattered over the years during agricultural work. The exact cause of death remains unknown.

No. Although the discovery of the body definitively confirms Delphine Jubillar’s death, the legal proceedings are not yet over. Cédric Jubillar has appealed his conviction. The new trial is scheduled to begin in September.

It remains to be seen whether his belated confession and his cooperation with investigators will have an impact on the sentence. At the same time, investigators hope that the remains found will provide further clues as to the exact sequence of events surrounding the crime.