Portuguese couple shot dead by 90-year-old neighbour in France after 20-year feud
A 90-year-old Portuguese man was detained on Tuesday evening, 22 September, in Lagor, France, on suspicion of shooting dead another Portuguese couple, aged 85 and 82, in a dispute that neighbours say had lasted more than two decades. The suspect was arrested at the scene and taken into police custody.
What happened
According to French newspaper La République des Pyrénées, residents heard several gunshots at around 8pm. When they went outside, they found the couple — later identified as Avelino Ferreira, 85, and Alcina Calhau, 82 — lying dead in the garden of their home. The alleged shooter, their neighbour, waited at the scene until police arrived.
French authorities have not yet released details from the suspect's initial interrogation. He is expected to face charges of double homicide when brought before a judge.
A conflict spanning two decades
Neighbours described a long-running feud between the two households, lasting more than 20 years, rooted in persistent minor grievances: a car parked in the wrong spot, work done on gardens, and disputes over land boundaries.
José, a retired resident who spoke to the victims hours before they died during a walk organised by Lagor's senior citizens' club, told local media: "They had already been involved in a fight. One time the suspect even grabbed an axe."
Another neighbour, identified as Christian, said the suspect and his wife "were always getting into conflicts with other people over everything and nothing."
Two very different footprints in the community
Lagor mayor Franck Rolland, speaking to French broadcaster ICI, drew a sharp contrast between the two couples. The suspect and his wife were described as "residents who never integrated into the community", while Ferreira and Calhau were "adorable" and "very involved" in local associations, particularly the bridge club.
"They had the bad luck to cross paths with people who did not share the same values about life. How can someone kill people over something so trivial?" Rolland said, calling the incident a "terrible tragedy."
From Alvite to Lagor
The victims were originally from Alvite, in the municipality of Moimenta da Beira, in northern Portugal. They had emigrated to France 45 years ago and had lived in Lagor for more than three decades.
The suspect is also Portuguese and, according to reports, held a hunting licence. He allegedly told authorities he retrieved his shotgun after being hit by a stone thrown by one of the victims — a claim that has not been independently verified.
What happens next
The suspect will appear before a magistrate for his first judicial interrogation. Under French law, he could be placed in pre-trial detention or under judicial supervision depending on the magistrate's assessment of factors including his age and the severity of the alleged crimes.
The Portuguese consulate in France has been informed, and the victims' relatives are expected to receive consular assistance with repatriation and funeral arrangements. No date has been set for the couple's burial.
