A House of Smoke and Secrets
On the night of 11 March 1944, thick smoke poured from a chimney at 21 Rue Le Sueur in Paris. Neighbours complained of the stench. Firefighters entered the house, expecting a blaze.
In the basement, they uncovered burning human remains. The property was filled with suitcases, clothing, and personal belongings. What began as a routine fire response exposed one of the most chilling criminal operations in occupied France.
From Troubled Youth to Dubious Doctor
Marcel André Henri Félix Petiot was born in 1897 in Auxerre. His youth was marked by theft and psychiatric evaluations. He served in World War I, where he was wounded, gassed, and diagnosed with mental illnesses. After the war, he completed medical school in just eight months and opened a practice in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne.
He performed illegal abortions, overprescribed narcotics, and was repeatedly accused of theft. Elected mayor in 1926, he embezzled funds, was suspended in 1931, and later lost his council seat for stealing electricity. By the mid-1930s, he had relocated to Paris, building a profitable practice through dubious means.
A Fake Escape Route During the Occupation
During the Nazi occupation, Petiot posed as “Dr. Eugène,” claiming he could smuggle Jews, Resistance members, and criminals to safety in South America through Portugal for 25,000 francs each. He required victims to undergo “inoculations,” injecting them with cyanide instead.
He stole their valuables and disposed of their bodies by dumping them in the Seine, submerging them in quicklime, or burning them in his basement furnace. His accomplices directed victims to him, believing they were helping Resistance efforts. The Gestapo eventually investigated the network, arrested his associates, and identified “Dr. Eugène” as Marcel Petiot.
Capture, Trial, and Execution
Petiot vanished for seven months, living under aliases and even joining the French Forces of the Interior during the liberation of Paris. He was arrested on 31 October 1944 at a Paris Métro station while carrying cash, weapons, and identity papers. In 1946, he stood trial for 135 charges, including at least 27 murders.
He admitted to 19 killings but claimed his victims were collaborators and Germans, presenting himself as a Resistance operative. No evidence supported these claims. He was convicted of 26 counts of murder and sentenced to death. On 25 May 1946, Marcel Petiot was executed by guillotine and buried at Ivry Cemetery. The total number of his victims remains unknown, estimated between 60 and 200.
Paris, 11 March 1944. Smoke rose from 21 Rue Le Sueur.
Firemen uncovered burning human remains in the basement furnace.
Police logged suitcases and clothing.
The address led to Dr. Marcel Petiot, a Paris physician with a secret network…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/IprLiEiVf7
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) October 11, 2025