Michel Peiry: The 'Sadist of Romont' stays behind bars – New ruling confirms he's still a danger
They're the kind of images that sear themselves into your memory: Michel Peiry, an unassuming-looking bloke with glasses, who terrorised Switzerland in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Now, in March 2026, there's been a new ruling from the justice system that shows: the fear of him hasn't faded even today. The 'Sadist of Romont' won't be getting any escorted leave from prison for the foreseeable future. The Federal Supreme Court has upheld a previous ruling – the risk of him reoffending is still 'clear and significant'.
Five murders, endless suffering
Between 1977 and 1981, Peiry brutally killed at least five young men. He lured his victims into his car while hitchhiking, tortured them, and often left their bodies mutilated. Forensic experts described the level of cruelty as virtually unprecedented. It was these crimes that earned Peiry his chilling nickname: 'Le Sadique de Romont'. For a long time, the media labelled him 'Switzerland's forgotten gay serial killer' – a tag that refers to his homosexuality, but also to the fact that, in the public eye, his crimes were sometimes overshadowed by other high-profile cases.
The artist behind bars
But Michel Peiry isn't just a convicted murderer. Behind the walls of the correctional facility, he started to paint – and his works found an unusual path into the public sphere. Some of his pieces, which often depict dark, surreal scenes, are now part of the Art Brut collection in Lausanne. This so-called 'raw art' gathers works from inmates of psychiatric hospitals or prisons. Peiry's paintings have become sought-after items for collectors, which consistently sparks outrage among the victims' families. They see it as a mockery of the memory of those who were killed.
Why he can't get out
Peiry, now 76, had recently hoped to be allowed out of the institution under supervision – whether for walks or to run errands. But the justice authorities gave him a firm 'no'. The experts are in agreement: Peiry's personality structure hasn't fundamentally changed. While he may have mellowed with age, his deep-seated inclination towards violence and sexual deviance remains. 'You can't just release him back into the world', said a long-time prison psychologist who has followed the case for decades. 'The likelihood that he'll reoffend is just too high.'
The horror lingers
The Federal Supreme Court's decision means, for Peiry: life is life – at least when it comes to real-world freedom. In his cell, he'll still be able to paint, to keep committing his thoughts to paper. For the families of his victims, that's little more than cold comfort. They have to live with the knowledge that the man who took the most precious thing from them is still out there – even if he is locked away.
- 1977–1981: Five proven murders of young men in French-speaking Switzerland.
- Nickname: 'Sadist of Romont' due to the extreme cruelty of the crimes.
- Art: Peiry's paintings are held in the renowned Art Brut collection in Lausanne.
- Current: Federal Supreme Court denies escorted leave – risk is too high.
Michel Peiry, then, will likely forever remain the 'Sadist of Romont' – a name that will send shivers down spines in Switzerland for a long time to come.