Johan Daviet received the telephone call from the Gendarmerie Nationale at 3:17 p.m. on September 12, 2025, while working in his carpentry shop in Lyon’s Croix-Rousse district. The officer informed him that the body of his 19-year-old daughter, Élise Daviet, missing since July 3, had been recovered from the Rhône River near Vienne, approximately 30 kilometers south of the city. The remains were wrapped in black plastic contractor bags, secured with duct tape, and weighted with cinder blocks. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation, with the time of death estimated between July 4 and July 5.
Johan, 47, had maintained sobriety for 1,827 consecutive days prior to that moment. He ended the call, walked to a mini-fridge in his workshop, and removed a bottle of Pastis 51 that had remained unopened for five years. He consumed the entire contents within minutes and continued drinking throughout the evening, marking the beginning of a rapid relapse.
Johan’s struggle with alcohol began at age 19 following his father’s death in an industrial accident. By his mid-20s, he was consuming a liter of vodka daily, resulting in the loss of his first marriage, business, and residence. Élise, born in 2006 to his second wife Claire who departed when the child was three, became his primary motivation for recovery. He entered a 90-day detoxification program at Clinique Saint-Luc in 2018 and attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings every Tuesday. His sponsor, Marcel, a retired baker who had lost his own son to substance abuse, provided consistent support. Johan’s final drink before achieving sobriety occurred on December 31, 2018.
Élise Daviet was an art student at École Émile Cohl in Lyon, known for her vibrant personality and online presence under the handle @ElisePaintsTheRhone, where she had accumulated 1.2 million followers through videos of painting the Rhône River at sunset. She disappeared after attending a party in Vieux Lyon on July 3. Witnesses reported seeing her leave with an unidentified male driving a black Peugeot 308 with a partial license plate ending in -XZ. Her phone last registered activity at 2:14 a.m. near Pont de la Guillotière.
The search for Élise lasted 71 days. Johan filed a missing person report on the first day, organized volunteer searches involving 300 participants by the seventh day, and hired private investigator Luc Moreau by day 21. He appeared on national television programs appealing for information and maintained daily contact with authorities. The discovery of the body occurred when a kayaker noticed the package caught against a river lock. Identification was confirmed through dental records and a distinctive freckle on the left collarbone.
The autopsy revealed strangulation with a nylon rope, evidence of sexual assault, and an unknown male DNA profile beneath the fingernails. A paintbrush, identified as Élise’s favorite Winsor & Newton Series 7, was found clutched in her right hand. The body had been in the water for approximately 10 weeks, complicating some forensic analysis but preserving sufficient evidence for ongoing investigation.
Johan’s relapse began immediately upon receiving confirmation. He visited the morgue to identify the remains, then returned home and consumed the Pastis followed by whiskey and absinthe from his workshop. Neighbors reported hearing disturbances at 2 a.m. and discovered him on the porch, having inflicted self-harm with a chisel. Emergency services transported him to hospital where he was revived after an overdose three days later.
The investigation remains active with the Civil Police focusing on three primary leads. The first involves Élise’s former boyfriend, Raphaël G., 22, with a documented history of possessive behavior, though he provided an alibi supported by multiple witnesses. The second centers on Dr. Vincent L., a 48-year-old married professor who had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with Élise; DNA evidence shows a partial match requiring further testing. The third pursues an unidentified male captured on riverbank CCTV footage wearing a hoodie and displaying a noticeable limp.
Johan’s condition deteriorated rapidly in the weeks following the discovery. He missed scheduled AA meetings, sold his vehicle to purchase additional alcohol and substances, and was arrested for driving under the influence after crashing into a cemetery gate. He was subsequently admitted to a psychiatric facility under suicide watch for 30 days. Upon release, he closed his carpentry business and now resides in a small studio apartment above the former workshop.
The case has generated significant public attention, with local media covering developments and community members organizing vigils in Élise’s memory. The Rhône River search continues periodically, and authorities have increased patrols in areas associated with the initial disappearance. Johan’s sponsor Marcel visits regularly, bringing food and attempting to encourage reconnection with support networks, though progress remains limited.
The combination of prolonged sobriety followed by immediate relapse upon receiving devastating news illustrates the fragile nature of recovery in the face of extreme trauma. Johan’s story serves as both a cautionary account and a testament to the profound impact of parental grief. The investigation into Élise’s death proceeds with forensic teams analyzing additional evidence recovered from the river and surrounding areas.
