More than four years after former Argentina rugby international Federico Martín Aramburú was shot dead in Paris, the case has returned to court — with four people now facing trial over a killing that shocked the rugby world on both sides of the Atlantic.
The 42-year-old was killed in the early hours of March 19, 2022, after an altercation at a Paris bar escalated into violence and was followed by a confrontation in the streets. At the heart of the trial is a question that could determine the fate of the defendants: was the shooting an act of self-defense and uncontrolled reaction, or the result of a deliberate pursuit?
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Federico Martín Aramburú killing: How a night in Paris turned deadly
Aramburú had traveled to Paris with his friend and former rugby teammate Shaun Hegarty, a New Zealand international, to attend a Six Nations Championship match.
Later that night, the pair went to the Le Mabillon bar in the Latin Quarter. At a nearby table were Loïk Le Priol, Romain Bouvier and Le Priol’s then-girlfriend, Lyson Rochemir.
According to investigators, the two groups initially interacted peacefully. That changed when an argument escalated into a physical confrontation involving Aramburú, Hegarty, Le Priol and Bouvier.
Security staff intervened, and the groups eventually left the bar separately.
But according to the investigation, the confrontation was far from over.
Le Priol and Bouvier, accompanied by Rochemir in a Jeep, went looking for the two former rugby players. Surveillance footage subsequently became a major part of the investigation, helping investigators reconstruct what happened before and during the shooting.
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What happened before Aramburú was shot?
Bouvier reportedly spotted Aramburú and Hegarty first as they walked toward their hotel.
Hegarty had stopped to obtain ice for injuries he had suffered during the earlier fight.
Investigators say Bouvier then fired four shots at Aramburú, hitting and wounding him twice. Le Priol arrived afterward and fired six additional shots.
Four of those shots struck Aramburú, including two fatal shots.
Aramburú collapsed in Hegarty’s arms and died at the scene.
That sequence — particularly what happened between the original bar confrontation and the later shooting — is now central to the Paris trial.
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Paris trial over Aramburú’s death: Who are the defendants?
Four people are facing proceedings in connection with the March 2022 killing.
| Defendant | Age | Allegation / Charge | Position |
| Loïk Le Priol | 32 | Murder | Acknowledges firing fatal shots but claims self-defense |
| Romain Bouvier | 35 | Attempted murder | Admits firing but denies intent to kill |
| Lyson Rochemir | 29 | Complicity in attempted murder | Prosecutors allege she played a role and drove the vehicle |
| Antony Sorrentino | — | Helping Bouvier evade arrest and assisting with disappearance or concealment of evidence | On trial in connection with the aftermath |
Le Priol, Bouvier and Rochemir could face life imprisonment if convicted.
The court is expected to deliver its verdict on September 25.
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Did the defendants intend to kill Federico Martín Aramburú?
This is expected to be one of the biggest questions of the trial.
Le Priol has acknowledged firing the shots that killed Aramburú, but he maintains that he acted in self-defense.
At the opening of the trial, Le Priol told the court:
“Whatever the verdict, I am condemned to bear the weight of this immense tragedy for the rest of my life. I will never cease asking his family for forgiveness.”
During the investigation, Le Priol also described his actions as “a pure reflex,” saying he “wasn’t himself,” that he “wasn’t there,” and that he “was in Africa.”
His defense has previously pointed to psychological problems connected with his military service.
Bouvier has also admitted firing his weapon, but denies that he intended to kill or seriously injure Aramburú.
He told the court:
“I never intended to kill him or even wound him. I should not have had that loaded weapon in my pocket. I always intended to fire at the ground so that I would have time to flee.”
The prosecution, however, is expected to focus heavily on the events after the bar fight — particularly the alleged pursuit of Aramburú and Hegarty.
Surveillance footage, witness accounts and ballistic evidence have all been used by investigators to reconstruct the sequence.
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A disputed threat could become important in the courtroom
Another contested element involves words allegedly spoken during the confrontation.
Investigators alleged that Le Priol told Aramburú:
“You’re going to shut up, otherwise I’ll shoot you and then I’ll (expletive) your mother.”
The defendants dispute that those words were spoken.
That disagreement is significant because the prosecution’s broader case concerns not only the shooting itself but also the defendants’ intentions and whether the events demonstrated preparation and intent rather than an uncontrolled reaction.
The trial therefore goes beyond the question of who fired the weapons. It also examines what happened before the shooting, why the men left the bar, what happened during the subsequent pursuit and what the defendants intended when they confronted Aramburú.
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Loïk Le Priol’s military service and far-right links under scrutiny
The backgrounds of Le Priol and Bouvier are also being examined during the proceedings.
Both men had links to the Groupe Union Défense, or GUD, a French far-right organization that was dissolved by the French government in 2024.
They had also previously been convicted over a violent 2015 attack on a former leader of the organization.
That earlier case is relevant to the current proceedings because both men had already demonstrated a history of violent confrontation.
Le Priol was also a former French military commando who served in Mali, Niger and Djibouti.
His military career ended after he was charged over the 2015 assault.
The defense has previously pointed to psychological problems connected with his military service, while prosecutors are examining whether the events surrounding Aramburú’s death point instead toward preparation and intent.
What happened to the other defendants after the shooting?
The arrests followed quickly.
Rochemir was arrested in Paris on the day Aramburú was killed.
Bouvier was arrested several days later in the Sarthe region.
Le Priol was detained in Hungary while attempting to cross toward Ukraine.
Sorrentino, a friend of Bouvier, is accused of helping Bouvier evade arrest after the shooting and assisting in the disappearance or concealment of evidence connected to the crime.
The investigation benefited from surveillance footage showing movements surrounding the shooting, giving investigators important evidence as they worked to establish the sequence of events.
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Who was Federico Martín Aramburú? The rugby career behind the headlines
While the Paris trial has placed the circumstances of Aramburú’s death under intense scrutiny, his life and rugby career remain an important part of the story.
Born in Argentina, Aramburú was educated through the Club Atlético de San Isidro system and earned 22 caps for the national team.
He represented Argentina at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, where Los Pumas finished third.
His professional career also took him across Europe. He played for French clubs including Biarritz, Perpignan and Dax, as well as Glasgow in Scotland.
The Argentine Rugby Union lists him as PUMA No. 623 and continues to recognize his place in the national team’s history.
Aramburú settled in the French Basque Country toward the end of his playing career in 2012, where he remained closely connected to the rugby community.
He was married and had three children.
Since his death, his family and former teammates have continued campaigning for justice.
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“Justicia por Fede”: Why Argentina’s rugby community is watching the trial
The opening of the Paris trial has brought Aramburú’s case back into the spotlight in Argentina.
Ahead of Argentina’s recent match against Australia in Mendoza, Los Pumas players wore shirts carrying the words:
“Justicia por Fede”
during their warm-up.
The Argentine Rugby Union also backed the campaign, while rugby clubs across Buenos Aires joined the tribute.
The UAR said the initiative was intended to accompany Aramburú’s family and keep attention on the upcoming proceedings. The organization noted that he was 42, a father of three and a former Los Pumas player who had left a lasting mark on rugby communities in both Argentina and France.
The campaign has also received support from Aramburú’s former club community.
Estudiantes de La Plata, which has maintained links to his memory, said the trial represented an important moment for his wife, children and family after more than four years of waiting.
As a result, “Justicia por Fede” has become the central public message surrounding the trial in Argentina.
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What happens next in the Federico Martín Aramburú trial?
The Paris proceedings are scheduled to continue through September 25, when the court is expected to deliver its verdict.
For prosecutors, the case centers on whether Aramburú’s killing was a deliberate and premeditated act following the confrontation at the bar.
For the defense, the circumstances of the fight, the defendants’ state of mind and their claims that they did not intend to kill will be critical.
More than four years after the former Argentina international was killed, the trial is now confronting the competing versions of what happened that night in Paris.
For Aramburú’s family, former teammates and the wider rugby community, the proceedings represent a long-awaited moment.
The man at the center of the case was not only the victim of a fatal shooting. He was a former Los Pumas player, a Rugby World Cup bronze medalist, a husband, a father of three and a figure who built deep connections between Argentine and French rugby.
Now, the Paris court will determine criminal responsibility for the shooting that ended his life.
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Disclaimer
This article is based on information available from the cited sources as of September 8, 2026. The defendants are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until convicted by the court. Allegations and prosecution claims should not be treated as established facts until determined through the judicial process.
Sources
- Associated Press — Paris trial into the fatal shooting of Federico Martín Aramburú
- Reuters — Trial opens in Paris for murder of Argentina rugby star Federico Aramburu
- Argentine Rugby Union — “La UAR acompaña el pedido de justicia por Federico Martín Aramburu”
- EFE — El asesinato del exrugbier argentino Aramburu, a juicio en París
- Al Jazeera/AFP — Trial opens in Paris over murder of Argentina rugby star Federico Aramburu
- World Rugby — Federico Martín Aramburu match record
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