Helmet could be key to identifying Alps killer

Police have released an image of the man as part of their investigation into the murder of a UK satellite engineer gunned down with his wife and mother-in-law last year.

Annecy prosecutor Eric Maillaud said teams have investigated an unusual helmet he wore, of which only “a few thousand” have been made, but have so far failed to trace him.

Mr Maillaud said: “The motorcyclist who we are trying to find was seen by officials from the National Forestry Office a short time before the murders, and in the proximity of the car park where the murders took place. It is completely unknown who he is.

“It could be that he was on a walk and did not see anything; that he is someone who saw something (a witness); or that he is the perpetrator of the murders. All these hypotheses are being considered.”

Saad al-Hilli, 50, from Claygate, Surrey, his 47-year-old dentist wife Ikbal and her elderly mother Suhaila al-Allaf, who lived in Sweden, were murdered on a remote forest road near Lake Annecy in southern France on September 5, last year. French cyclist Sylvain Mollier was also killed.

Iraqi-born Mr al-Hilli’s eldest daughter Zainab was shot, beaten and left for dead, but survived. Her four-year-old sister Zeena lay hidden under her mother’s corpse and was only discovered eight hours later.

The French Gendarmerie have released an artist’s impression of a motorcyclist who was seen riding in the area between 3.15pm and 3.40pm on the day in question, shortly before the four murders took place.

Mr Maillaud added: “His helmet is very particular and there are only a few thousand of these models worldwide.”

The lower part of the helmet opens laterally to reveal the lower face, which allowed French police to see that the biker has a beard. The only similar helmet on the market is made by GPA and is an ISR model, police said.

Mr al-Hilli’s 54-year-old brother, Zaid al-Hilli, from Chessington, south-west London, was arrested in June and has since been bailed until January. He has strenuously denied any involvement.