Police officer accused of killing his British ex-wife and her new partner after both shot dead in France

Independent

27-02-2025

A police officer is accused of killing his estranged British wife and her new partner after they were shot dead in France.
Alison Erb, a 49-year-old nursery manager originally from Norfolk, was found dead on 25 May 2023 alongside her 51-year-old partner Loreto Di Salvatore at their apartment in Roppentzwiller, a village near the border with Switzerland and Germany.
Both were found with gunshot wounds and a small-calibre revolver was found at the scene, according to local reports.
Her estranged husband, Olivier Erb – a serving police officer who lived in the nearby town of Wittenheim – was arrested and has since admitted 'liability' for the killings. He was indicted last April, and a French judge will now decide what charges he will face. The details of the arrest have only emerged this week.
The couple had been in the process of divorcing and Erb had twice been investigated on suspicion of verbally abusing and harassing his wife with malicious calls, in 2020 and 2022 respectively, according to local reports.
Firefighters are reported to have discovered the bodies when they entered the flat above the town hall and the village's main street through a balcony, after neighbours raised the alarm about dogs barking in the building.
Police began an investigation and found Alison – whose maiden name is Knott – and Mr Di Salvatore had been shot three times each.
At the time of the killings, Erb was reportedly banned from visiting her home or contacting his estranged wife, and both victims had told relatives of their concerns about him.
Alison had installed a surveillance camera at the property, and footage seen by police reportedly showed her leaving the flat on the day of her death, shortly before a figure dressed in black and wearing a hood and gloves entered.
Mr Di Salvatore was killed on the first floor of the property. Eight minutes later, Alison returned and was killed on the stairs leading up to the first floor. The figure in black was then seen leaving the scene through a skylight window.
Erb initially denied involvement in the deaths before later admitting liability. He has since been indicted for double murder, and a judge is set to determine which charge he should face.
French lawyers, acting on behalf of Alison's family, said in a statement: 'We want to highlight the exceptional work carried out by the investigating magistrate in Mulhouse and the Gendarmes in Strasbourg, both past and ongoing, in determining the circumstances that led to the horrendous death of Alison Knott and her partner'.
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Alison attended Wymondham College in Norfolk at the age of 11 before going on to study nursery nursing at King's Lynn College.
She worked as a nanny in Worstead, before moving to France in 1995 to work for a large family with several small children living in the Alsace region. She later married Erb and the couple had three children – two daughters now aged 26 and 15, and a 27-year-old son.
At the time of her death, she had been managing a nursery in nearby Switzerland and had hoped to build a new life there with Mr Di Salvatore, 51.
The couple had been renting the flat in Roppentzwiller while Mr Di Salvatore built a house for them to live in together.
Alison's sister, who still lives in Norfolk but wanted to remain anonymous, described her sister as having 'a huge heart' and said her death had 'left a gaping hole in so many people's lives'.
'I am utterly heartbroken by the loss of my sister,' she said. 'I have never felt more alone. We're just 18 months apart in age. We were as close as only sisters can be. Ali and I would talk almost every day, as she did with her aunt who was like a mother to her. She took care of her aunt and nursed her to health when she was suffering from cancer.
'I still can't believe such a kind and beautiful soul has been stolen from the world.'
Mr Di Salvatore was 'desperate to marry her', Alison's sister said, adding: 'He did all he could to keep her safe and make her happy. Their relationship was true love. This is the first time she has experienced this.'
A spokesman for Norfolk Police said: 'The family of former Norwich woman, Alison Erb, are currently being supported by a specially trained family liaison officer.'