What happened
Michel Peiry traveled widely through Europe in the 1980s and was linked to a series of attacks and killings of young men.
The investigation
His arrest followed an attack in Switzerland, after which investigators compared his travel history and admissions with unsolved crimes in several countries.
What the courts or investigators concluded
Peiry was convicted of multiple murders and other violent offenses and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Why the case remains significant
The case demonstrates the challenges of identifying a mobile serial offender whose crimes cross jurisdictions and may initially appear unrelated.
Case context
Crime by Region organizes cases geographically so readers can move from one file to other investigations from the same country. For unresolved or contested cases, the wording above reflects the distinction between confirmed events, investigative theories and findings actually established in court.