French authorities open probe after woman decapitated

French authorities are investigating a suspect after a woman was found decapitated in a town in the country's south.

The suspect, a man, is under judicial supervision, the public prosecutor for the Beziers area said on Saturday evening.

The 77-year-old woman was beheaded in the town of Agde, on France's southern coast.

Her body was found after her son alerted the authorities when he was unable to reach her.

Officers found the slain woman's body and evidence of a struggle at her apartment. But there were no indications of a break-in. The exact circumstances of the crime were initially unclear.

Several factors suggest the suspect was responsible for the crime, including that his DNA was found at the crime scene and the victim's blood was found on his shoes.

Video recording

Video surveillance also showed a man resembling the suspect but wearing a protective medical face mask.

The public prosecutor said the man in his mid-fifties had done odd jobs for retired primary school teacher, who had been living alone since the death of her husband two years ago.

The suspect's wife had been her cleaner, until both were dismissed on suspicion of theft.

During questioning, the suspect repeatedly said he did not remember the crime and referred to memory problems, according to the public prosecutor.