New Sophie Toscan Du Plantier Series Kicked Off On Netflix

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The new documentary series investigating the murder of French documentary producer, Sophie Toscan Du Plantier dropped on Netflix yesterday.

The documentary is titled Sophie: A Murder In West Cork, examining one of Ireland's well known murders. 

Sophie Toscan Du Plantier was murdered in Schull, West Cork in 1996. She had travelled to her holiday home in Ireland, only to be found dead just days later. 

The murder shocked locals, and sparked one of the biggest investigations ever seen in Ireland. It remains one of the most infamous murders in Ireland today. 

The prime suspect for Sophie's murder was English journalist, Ian Bailey. He was arrested by local police following eye witness reports. But due to a lack of reliable evidence, he was never found guilty for murder in Ireland. 

He was found guilty in absentia by the French authorities and was jailed for 25 years. 

However, Bailey has continued to successfully fight several extradition requests. He current resides in West Cork, still maintaining his innocence. 

"Genuinely astonishing"

Executive producer, Suzzane Lavery said that she still finds it "genuinely astonishing" that such a horrific murder could take place in an area that prided itself on "peacefulness, safety and inclusivity". 

"In making this documentary we wanted to honour Sophie, her family and that rural community in the West of Ireland", she said. 

She continued, "Even now, I find it genuinely astonishing that something so terrible could have happened not just to a woman who appeared to have such a gilded life but in such a beautiful place and to a community that prided itself on its peacefulness, its safety and inclusivity. It's what drew Sophie there". 

"What does seem so tragic, is that Sophie's perfect escape turned out to be where she lost her life. And the shock of it still reverberates in that community 25 years later". 

"It's been our privilege to explore who she was and to bring that to the audience. We hope we have done her justice", added the documentary's producer Sarah Lambert. 

 

 

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