Murder –suicide at the Vatican : 1998
Alois Estermann, 43. commander of the Swiss Guards and his wife Gladys Romero were shot dead in their apartment on May 4,1998 by a young recruit Cedric Tornay who then turned the gun on himself. The guardsman was outraged over a letter of reprimand from Esthermann for staying out all night. Besides the complained to his colleagues that he was not included in the list of recognition . He had given a letter to be passed to his mother Mugette Baudat 90 minutes before the killings. The killings sent shockwaves through Switzerland . Confederation president Flavio Cotti , addressed a personal letter to Pope Paul John 11 to express sorrow of the government and the Swiss people. Estermann had travelled with the Pope on more than 30 trips abroad and jumped from behind the Pope to shield him when the Turk Mehmet Ali Agca fired several shots in1981. But the mother of Cedric still believes that her son is innocent and does not accept the version of the Vatican .