Michel Peiry: The 'Sadist of Romont' Stays Behind Bars โ New Verdict Confirms He Remains a Threat
These are images that sear themselves into your memory: Michel Peiry, an unassuming-looking man with glasses, who terrorised Switzerland in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Now, in March 2026, there's a new decision from the justice system that shows: the fear of him hasn't faded even today. The 'Sadist of Romont' will not be granted supervised outings from prison for the time being. The Federal Supreme Court has upheld the previous rulings โ the risk of him reoffending is still 'clear and substantial'.
Five Murders, Countless Suffering
Between 1977 and 1981, Peiry killed at least five young men in the most brutal ways. He would lure his victims, who were hitchhiking, into his car, torture them, and often leave their bodies mutilated. Forensic experts spoke of a level of cruelty that was virtually unparalleled. It was because of these crimes that Peiry earned his chilling nickname: 'Le Sadique de Romont'. For a long time, the media referred to him as 'Switzerland's forgotten gay serial killer' โ a title that alludes to his homosexuality, but also to the fact that his crimes were, at times, overshadowed in the public eye by other high-profile cases.
The Artist Behind Bars
But Michel Peiry is more than just a convicted murderer. Within the walls of the penitentiary, he began to paint โ 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 by inmates of psychiatric hospitals or prisons. Peiry's paintings have become sought-after collector's items, which repeatedly causes outrage among the victims' families. They see it as a mockery of the memory of those who were murdered.
Why He Isn't Allowed Out
The now 76-year-old Peiry had recently hoped to be allowed to leave the institution, at least under supervision โ whether for walks or errands. However, the judicial authorities gave him a clear refusal. The experts agree: Peiry's personality structure hasn't fundamentally changed. While he may have calmed down with age, the deep-seated tendency towards violence and sexual deviance persists. 'You can't just release him back into the world', said a long-time prison psychologist who has followed the case for decades. 'The probability that he will reoffend is simply too high.'
What Remains is the Horror
The Federal Supreme Court's decision means for Peiry: life sentence remains a life sentence โ at least as far as real freedom is concerned. In his cell, he will continue to paint, continue to put his thoughts on paper. For the families of his victims, that is little comfort. They have to live with the fact that the man who took their loved ones from them is still here โ even if he is locked away.
- 1977โ1981: Five proven murders of young men in French-speaking Switzerland.
- Nickname: 'Sadist of Romont' due to the particular cruelty of the crimes.
- Art: Peiry's paintings are featured in the renowned Art Brut collection in Lausanne.
- Current: Federal Supreme Court denies supervised outings โ risk is too high.
So Michel Peiry will likely forever remain the 'Sadist of Romont' โ a name that will send shivers down spines in Switzerland for a long time to come.