Summary3 min read

Podcast Summary: To Die For

Episode: The Butcher of Mons – Le Monstre 2 [Trailer]
Host: Matt Graves (Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts)
Date: October 31, 2025

Overview

This trailer introduces Season 2 of Le Monstre—subtitled “The Butcher of Mons”—a series centered around the gruesome, unsolved serial murders that plagued the city of Mons, Belgium in the mid-1990s. Host Matt Graves sets the chilling tone by recounting the discovery of dismembered female bodies, the fear that shook the region, and the enduring mystery about the elusive killer’s identity. The season promises a deep investigation into the nightmare that haunted Mons, exploring the evidence, the victims, and the quest for justice, thirty years on.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Discovery of Bodies

Grisly Findings Across Borders
- [00:08] Matt Graves details the 1996 discovery:
  “On January 21, 1996, in the north of France, the mutilated torso of a female body was found floating downstream a waterway called the river of Hate.”
- [00:24] Further body parts found:
  “Cut into pieces and stuffed into two plastic garbage.”
Pattern of Horror
- [00:27] Expansion of the crime scene into Belgium the following year:
  “In the neighboring country of Belgium, 37 female body parts placed in 15 trash bags were found at dump sites with evocative names. The Path of Worry. Dump Road. The river of Hate. Fear Creek.”

Fear Grips Mons

A Calculated Serial Killer
- [00:37] Describing the killer's motivation and methods:
  “In the mid-90s, a vicious serial killer murdered five women in and around the city of Mons... placing their dismembered body parts in locations seemingly designed to terrorize the population.”
- [00:53] Professional precision:
  “We know the bodies were dismembered with remarkable precision.”
Psychological Impact
- [00:57] Community anxiety:
  “Fear and anxiety gripped the people of Mons as they realized a serial killer was lurking among them.”

The Case of Jacqueline Leclerc

[01:19] Personal account from possible victim's family:
- “Jacqueline was supposed to call me or my mother, but she didn’t.”

Investigation and Frustration

International Cooperation and Stalled Progress
- [01:26] Despite an extensive investigation, no arrests:
  “Despite a sprawling investigation, including assistance from the American FBI, the murders have never been solved.”

Season Two Promise

The Unresolved Nightmare
- [01:34] Matt Graves frames the ongoing quest:
  “The unbelievable story of a terrifying series of sadistic murders and a quest to find the killer. Three decades later, we felt like we were in the presence of someone who was going to the grave with nightmarish secrets.”
- [01:45] Series release date and tease:
  “Coming October 31st, wherever you get your podcast.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

[00:08] Matt Graves: “On January 21, 1996, in the north of France, the mutilated torso of a female body was found floating downstream a waterway called the river of Hate.”
[00:27] Matt Graves: “In the neighboring country of Belgium, 37 female body parts placed in 15 trash bags were found at dump sites — The Path of Worry. Dump Road. The river of Hate. Fear Creek.”
[00:53] Matt Graves: “We know the bodies were dismembered with remarkable precision.”
[01:19] Unidentified speaker (family): “Jacqueline was supposed to call me or my mother, but she didn’t.”
[01:34] Matt Graves: “Three decades later, we felt like we were in the presence of someone who was going to the grave with nightmarish secrets.”

Important Timestamps

[00:08] – Start of the story: First body discovered in France
[00:27] – Bodies found in Belgium, dump site locations named
[00:53] – Description of the killer’s precision and community fear
[01:19] – Family’s perspective: disappearance of Jacqueline Leclerc
[01:26] – Unsolved case and international efforts
[01:34] – Promise of the upcoming season
[01:45] – Release announcement

Tone

Intense, atmospheric, and investigative—aimed at immersing listeners in the chilling reality of the unsolved murders. The narrative is sober, detailed, and respectful to the gravity of the subject matter, successfully evoking the dread and urgency that defined the Butcher of Mons case.

Le Monstre, Season 2: The Butcher of Mons promises a gripping investigation into one of Europe’s most unsettling and enduring unsolved serial murder cases, combining true-crime storytelling with the pursuit of justice and answers.

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Transcript6 lines

[00:00]
A
Warning. Listener discretion is advised.
[00:08]
B
On January 21, 1996, in the north of France, the mutilated torso of a female body was found floating downstream a waterway called the river of Hate.
[00:24]
A
Cut into pieces and stuffed into two plastic garbage.
[00:27]
B
The following year, in the neighboring country of Belgium, 37 female body parts placed in 15 trash bags were found at dump sites with evocative names. The Path of Worry. Dump Road. The river of Hate. Fear Creek. In the mid-90s, a vicious serial killer murdered five women in and around the city of Mons in Belgium. He taunted authorities placing their dismembered body parts in locations seemingly designed to terrorize the population. We know the bodies were dismembered with remarkable precision. Fear and anxiety gripped the people of Mons as they realized a serial killer was lurking among them. And now, the disappearance of a woman from Mont. Jacqueline Leclerc.
[01:19]
A
Jacqueline was supposed to call me or my mother, but she didn't.
[01:26]
B
Despite a sprawling investigation, including assistance from the American FBI, the murders have never been solved. From Tenderfoot TV and I Heart podcasts, I'm your host, Matt Graves, and this is le Monstre, Season 2, the Butcher of Mons, the unbelievable story of a terrifying series of sadistic murders and a quest to find the killer. Three decades later, we felt like we were in the presence of someone who was going to the grave with nightmarish secrets. Coming October 31st, wherever you get your podcast.