A woman convicted of the brutal rape, torture, and murder of a young schoolgirl she did not know confessed in court to the chilling crime. Dahbia Benkired, aged 27, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole, becoming the first woman in French history to receive such a punishment. The victim, Lola Daviet, was found dead in a suitcase left in the lobby of her family’s apartment building in 2022. Benkired’s shocking admission during the trial captivated France and led to the rare whole-life sentence.
During the court proceedings, Lola’s mother, Delphine, recounted the last moments she spent with her daughter on the day of the tragic incident. Benkired encountered Lola outside her apartment complex in northeastern Paris after a domestic dispute with her partner. Pretending to need help with suitcases, Benkired lured Lola into a building where she subjected her to a horrifying 90-minute ordeal of rape, torture, and ultimately, suffocation.
In a disturbing statement to the court, Benkired admitted to seeking revenge on the vulnerable victim, justifying her actions by claiming that since she had already assaulted Lola, she decided to end her life. Lola’s mother expressed her grief in court, regretting her inability to protect her daughter and emphasizing the importance of teaching children to be cautious around strangers.
The Attorney General of France characterized Benkired, an Algerian immigrant who had overstayed her student visa, as preying on the teenager for her own pleasure and sexual gratification. The judge condemned Benkired’s actions as “true torture” and acknowledged the severe psychological trauma inflicted on the victim and her family.
After the sentencing, Delphine expressed satisfaction with the justice served, stating, “We believed in justice and we got it.” Lola’s brother highlighted the importance of honoring his sister’s memory and revealing the truth behind the heinous crime.