There are countless reasons people commit crimes. Sometimes, the most brutal killings happen because of circumstances completely unrelated to the victim. And recently, a man confessed to murdering a young girl because he was “angry” after losing a game of Fortnite.
In February 2025, a man identified as Owen L., 23, reportedly admitted to killing an 11-year-old girl, Louise Lasalle. The horrific crime happened in Epinay-sur-Orge, Essonne, France, roughly 16 miles south of Paris. And the details of the murder are seriously disturbing.
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In February 2025, police discovered Lasalle’s body after she was reported missing.
On February 8, police found Lasalle’s body in a wooded area. The grim discovery came 12 hours after her parents reported her missing. At the time of her disappearance, the 11-year-old had been walking home from her middle school, French newspaper Le Parisien reported.
CCTV footage led investigators to Owen L.
After reviewing CCTV footage, police found Lasalle’s body in the Bois des Templiers woodland area. Her phone was also found beside her body. Police found no evidence of sexual assault. The video footage led to the arrest of Owen L., who confessed the details of what happened to Lasalle.
The man confessed to murdering the 11-year-old girl after losing a game of Fortnite.
Owen L. allegedly told police he was “very angry” after losing a game of Fortnite and getting into an argument with another player, French TV network TF1 reported.
“While playing Fortnite, he had an altercation online with another player who insulted him,” prosecutor Grégoire Dulin said, per The Times. “Very angry, he stopped playing and went out to calm down.”
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To calm down, he decided to rob someone — and ended up stabbing Lasalle.
Per TF1, Owen L. told police he set out to “rob or extort money from someone to calm down.” He came across Lasalle, whom he didn’t know, saw her phone, and followed her. At one point, Owen L. said he told Lasalle he lost something in the woods.
“When they reached a quiet spot, he told her he was going to search her things to steal money, while threatening her with a knife,” Dulin recounted. “She started screaming. Panicked, he pushed her to the ground and stabbed her.”
Epinay-sur-Orge Mayor Olivier Marchau released a statement.
On February 12, Epinay-sur-Orge Mayor Olivier Marchau released a statement on Lasalle’s death.
“No words are strong enough to express our sadness and dislike at such an incomprehensible act,” he wrote on Facebook, per People.
“Louise was a joyful young girl who just wanted to live her teenage life,” Marchau continued. “My deepest thoughts go out to her family, relatives and friends.”
