The body of a man was found after 14 years of being forgotten in a morgue in Toulouse

The body of a man who died in November 2012 was found in early October in a cold room at the Toulouse-Rangueil morgue, where it had been forgotten for nearly 14 years. This discovery was revealed as part of an investigation into shortcomings in the handling of seals at the mortuary.

A death that faded into oblivion. Nearly fourteen years after his death, the body of Michel Meynard, a former municipal employee of Castelnau-d'Auzan (Gers), was found in a cold room at the Toulouse-Rangeuil morgue at the beginning of the month, La Dépêche reported on Friday, October 9. "We received a call on October 1. I thought it was a joke," Virginie Busipelli-Beyries, mayor of the town where the deceased lived, told our colleagues.

On November 5, 2012, a neighbor raised the alarm after becoming concerned about his absence. Michel Meynard was later found dead at his home, where he had lived alone for a long time.

A body never claimed

At the time, the autopsy concluded that the death was from natural causes. A few months later, the Auch public prosecutor's office authorized the release of the body and requested that it be given to the family or that the town hall be contacted to organize the funeral.

Michel Meynard was divorced and childless, and no relatives came forward. The municipality was then expected to take over the funeral arrangements. According to La Dépêche, the Castelnau-d'Auzan town hall claims it was never contacted by the mortuary service during all those years. The deceased's body thus remained in a cold room at the Toulouse-Rangueil morgue before being forgotten.

Since its discovery at the beginning of the month, searches are now underway in Castelnau-d'Auzan to find Michel Meynard's family and finally allow the organization of his funeral.

A morgue targeted by an investigation

The discovery of Michel Meynard's body occurred during an inspection of the facility's cold storage rooms, conducted as part of a judicial and administrative inquiry targeting the Toulouse-Rangeuil mortuary service. The service has been accused, in particular, of significant malfunctions in the management of judicial seals.