Two men have been detained after a burned body was found in a vineyard south of Nîmes, authorities confirm.
\The victim was identified as 29‑year‑old social media influencer Sonia Bellina, who had a following of over 260,000 on TikTok. Bellina had been visiting her family in the area one month before her 30th birthday.
\The police, after finding the body in the Saint‑Gilles vineyard on 12 August, opened a murder investigation. Initial tests suggested the remains belonged to a young woman, but DNA analysis later confirmed Bellina’s identity.
\Two men were taken into custody on Wednesday because evidence suggested their direct or indirect role in the incident. Prosecutor Cécile Gensac reported that authorities had enough evidence to detain the suspects while the case proceeds.
\Bellina’s family lawyer warned of ongoing harassment online, saying the family demanded privacy and that any offending content would be taken seriously. The lawyer also underscored the emotional toll on the family, calling their experience “extremely violent.”
\A woman who allegedly identified herself as Bellina’s sister claimed she was confident the body in the vineyard was her sister before its identity was confirmed. She said the family faced harassing comments, with some people saying Bellina deserved the violence.
\In a press release, the family’s lawyer stated they would not provide further statements, but requested that reporters respect their grief.
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