The family’s lawyer sharply criticizes Cédric Jubillar’s new statement

Toulouse – July 22, 2026: The family of Delphine Aussaguel is deeply shocked by the new explanation Cédric Jubillar has given regarding his wife’s death. Philippe Pressec, representing the relatives of Delphine Aussaguel, told Franceinfo that he was stunned by the statement. He is concerned that the convicted man, who denied the crime for years, may now seek to claim that it was an unplanned killing.

In October 2025, Cédric Jubillar was sentenced by the Assize Court of Albi to 30 years in prison for murdering his wife. Delphine Aussaguel, who had taken the surname Jubillar after her marriage, disappeared from the couple’s home in Cagnac-les-Mines, in the Tarn department, in the early hours of December 16, 2020. Jubillar had appealed the verdict.

According to reports, the 38-year-old Jubillar first acknowledged responsibility for his wife’s death in writing on July 6, 2026. During questioning on July 15, he then described an argument that took place on the night his wife disappeared. He reportedly stated that he grabbed Delphine Aussaguel by the neck and strangled her. This statement is now being examined by investigative and judicial authorities.

For the relatives, the focus is not only on the new statement itself, but also on the fact that it was made so late. Pressec pointed out that Jubillar had maintained his innocence for more than five years. In the view of the civil parties, changing his statement cannot undo the long uncertainty endured by the family or the impact on the couple’s two children.

In mid-July, investigators conducted a search in Mayoc, near Cagnac-les-Mines, based on Jubillar’s statement. Bone fragments identified through forensic examination as belonging to Delphine Aussaguel were found. Further forensic analyses are expected to examine, among other things, whether the discoveries can provide insights into the course of the crime or the convicted man’s statement.

The appeal trial was initially scheduled to begin on September 21, 2026, at the Assize Court of Haute-Garonne. However, the presiding judge ordered a postponement on July 21. The new hearing is scheduled for the first half of 2027. The appeal court cited the still necessary investigations, the orderly conduct of proceedings, and the need to safeguard all parties’ right to be heard.

The legal assessment of the crime therefore remains unresolved and will be reconsidered during the appeal proceedings. The defense may seek a different legal classification of the offense, but only the court can reach a decision after examining the evidence, expert reports, and testimony. For Delphine Aussaguel’s family, the postponement also means that the judicial clarification of the case will be further prolonged.