Burned Body in Vineyard: Family Pleads for Peace

The public prosecutor in Nîmes, Cécile Gensac, confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that there is a high probability that the partially burned body found in a vineyard in Saint-Gilles belongs to missing 29-year-old influencer Sonia Bellini. Final confirmation will only come from comparative DNA analysis, the results of which are expected soon.

As Gensac told France 3 Occitanie, the probability is based solely on a series of matching clues, not on solid evidence. The body was found on August 12 in a vineyard in the Gard region by a farm worker, and a murder investigation is underway. Around forty gendarmes were immediately dispatched to the scene, securing the area and beginning forensic examination. Prosecutor Gensac stated that the body had been deliberately burned, indicating an obvious attempt to destroy evidence.

The Nîmes prosecutor's office has opened an investigation for "assassination," the French term for premeditated murder. The investigation is being led by the gendarmerie's investigative unit in Nîmes, including a special unit for serious crimes. The body was naked and partially burned, hidden between rows of vines. Details from the autopsy, which should reveal the exact cause of death, have not yet been released.

Disappearance and Last Sign of Life

Sonia Bellini, who had up to 250,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram, disappeared on August 10. Her sister recounted during a live TikTok broadcast that Sonia had a planned meeting with someone that evening and that she "went out one evening and never came back." Her last sign of life was on August 11.

According to France Info, Sonia lived in the Chemin bas d'Avignon neighborhood in Nîmes, where she had returned to visit family. In 2020, she registered a business as an aesthetician specializing in eyelash extensions, and recently moved to Paris to focus on her social media posts. She was due to turn 30 in September. Her sister, who wished to remain anonymous, described the final hours in a heartbreaking interview with Midi Libre: "She said she was going out one evening and never came back." She also expressed her greatest fear: "Maybe she ran into the wrong guy at the wrong time." The pain is even greater because the family was preparing for a celebration: "We were getting ready for her birthday; she would have turned 30 on September 30, and we planned to throw a party." Heartbroken, she said: "I never thought something like this would happen to our family, especially since she was such a cheerful and kind person. I'm in shock that I live in such a cruel world. This is a terrible injustice. We don't deserve to go through this."

Sonia Bellini built an enviable online career with over 259,000 followers on TikTok. She gained popularity from 2020 by posting videos where she lip-synced to popular audio tracks and showcased glamour. Her social media activity significantly decreased in early 2025, followed by a period of inactivity. The family kept her private life away from the public, and after confirmation of her death, followers began leaving messages of condolence.

Family Demands Respect, Threatens Lawsuits

The family has hired Paris-based lawyer Mourad Battikh, who posted an official statement on Facebook. "She is going through an ordeal of extreme cruelty. The family demands respect for their privacy and grief and will not make any statements," the statement reads.

Battikh warns that for days there has been a massive spread of "rumors, speculation, offensive statements, and accusations, accompanied by images and content from private life." He adds that such behavior unnecessarily increases the suffering of loved ones and could harm the investigation. The sister described a campaign of hatred to Midi Libre: "People go too far, it's horrible, they say nonsense. It's harassment; some even say she deserved what happened to her. They use her photos just to create noise."

Lawyer Battikh reacted strongly to the situation: "The family is going through an extremely violent ordeal. The spread of rumors, speculation, and outrageous remarks causes additional, unnecessary suffering and will likely hinder the investigation." The family is also dealing with offensive comments about Sonia's appearance and claims that she worked as an escort, prompting them to contact TikTok and request the removal of such posts.

Each post will be, depending on the case, reported to platforms and the PHAROS portal, with requests for identification of authors, filing of criminal complaints, and initiation of proceedings before civil and criminal courts.

The lawyer emphasized that subsequent deletion of disputed content will not stop already initiated proceedings. Individuals spreading insults could be liable for defamation, public insult, moral harassment, or invasion of privacy and image rights.

Her sister Mia told the newspaper "Midi Libre" that Sonia had a scheduled meeting on the evening she disappeared. According to her, she was supposed to meet a man she had previously dated. This information has not been officially confirmed. So far, there are no official suspects, and the motive for this brutal crime remains unknown.

The murder investigation is ongoing, and French authorities have not yet released details about possible suspects or the motive for the crime.