French serial killer Charles Sobrage has been released from prison in Nepal after spending nearly 20 years behind bars. The 78-year-old is responsible for the murders of more than 20 tourists traveling from Europe to Asia, but the true number of lives he has lost is unclear.
The nickname “The Snake” was given to him due to the numerous instances in which he eluded the authorities. Sobrage also served as the prototype for the Serpent series.
The killing spree began in the early 1970s. In 1986 he escaped from a prison in India after dousing his guards with sleeping pills. Days later he was captured. He remained in prison in India until 1997, after which he returned to France.
In 2003, he went to prison again, this time in Nepal. In 2008, he married Nihita Biswas, a Nepalese citizen, 44 years his junior. When he was released, she came to prison, Reuters reports.
Upon his release, Charles Sobrage said he felt great and had a lot to do.
“I have many people to sue, including the state of Nepal,” he told AFP. Sobrage was later put on a plane to be flown back to France.
