Wealthy French playboy found in his own TRUNK

This summary details the investigation into the murder of Alan Leelu, a wealthy French circus producer, whose body was discovered in the trunk of his car in Orlon, France, 19 days after he was reported missing. The investigation uncovers a complex web of business rivalries, personal affairs, and a surprising connection to a sex worker who was also Leelu's surrogate daughter, Alexandra Nicola. The narrative explores the initial confusion, the forensic evidence, the narrowing of suspects, and the eventual revelation of the killer and their motive.

The Disappearance of Alan Leelu

Alan Leelu, a successful and wealthy producer of circus shows, was last seen on the evening of Friday, February 5th, 2010, at the home of Alexandra Nicola, a woman he considered a surrogate daughter. Leelu was a frequent visitor to Nicola's home, having bought it for her and paid for her car and vacations. Despite public perception and his own wife's assumptions, Leelu maintained that his relationship with Nicola was strictly platonic, viewing himself as a father figure to her and her daughter.

Leelu was a workaholic, constantly traveling for his business, which involved securing lucrative contracts with companies for circus shows. His primary competitor was Michelle de la Rule, another circus owner who had recently been winning contracts that Leelu had been pursuing. Leelu was scheduled to have an important meeting in Vichy on Monday, February 8th, to secure a significant contract.

On Sunday afternoon, February 7th, Leelu left Nicola's home to head towards Vichy. His assistant, Sylvie, became concerned when he failed to show up for his meeting on Monday morning and was unreachable by phone, which was highly uncharacteristic for him. This led Leelu's wife, Elizabeth, to report him missing to the police.