Pascal Dauriac, a key convicted figure in the 2014 killing of Monaco property magnate Hélène Pastor, has been released from prison after serving close to half of his 22-year sentence, according to his lawyer and reporting by Nice-Matin.
Dauriac, a former sports coach, left the Toulouse-Seysses penitentiary in early April following standard judicial review procedures, his lawyer confirmed to Nice-Matin. His release comes after approximately twelve years in custody.
He was convicted for his role as an intermediary in one of the most high-profile criminal cases linked to Monaco in recent decades: the murder of Hélène Pastor and her chauffeur Mohamed Darwich on May 6, 2014, outside the L’Archet Hospital in Nice.
Investigators established that the attack was part of a wider criminal plot, in which Dauriac acted as a link between the alleged mastermind and the hired gunmen. According to court findings, he helped facilitate contact with individuals involved in carrying out the ambush.
The case centred on Wojciech Janowski, Hélène Pastor’s son-in-law, who was convicted of commissioning the murder for financial motives and sentenced to life imprisonment. Two gunmen were also handed life sentences. Dauriac, initially sentenced to 30 years at first instance, saw his sentence reduced to 22 years on appeal.
Throughout proceedings, Dauriac admitted his involvement as an intermediary. His defence has consistently argued that he cooperated with investigators and that his behaviour in prison had been exemplary. His lawyer told Nice-Matin that he had maintained “irreproachable conduct” in detention, taking part in educational activities and assisting fellow inmates with literacy and language support.
He was most recently held at Toulouse-Seysses prison after previous transfers, including time in Béziers.
His release is reported to have been conditional on a confirmed return to employment. According to his lawyer, he has secured work as a warehouse operative with a company near Montpellier, which was fully informed of his background. The job was presented as a key requirement for his release.
A further notable development in the case is that Gildo Pastor, son of the murdered billionaire, has formally renounced any claim for civil damages against Dauriac. As reported by Nice-Matin, he communicated this decision in a letter to the parole commission, a move described by the defence as unusually magnanimous.
While Dauriac is now free, the broader Pastor case continues to stand as one of the most complex and widely scrutinised criminal trials connected to Monaco in recent history.