Swiss bar owner detained over alleged domestic violence amid fire investigation
The owner of a Swiss bar where a New Year’s fire killed 41 people has been placed in pre-trial detention over alleged domestic violence against his wife, local media reported Sunday.
Jacques Moretti, co-owner of Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, was detained following an incident on Aug. 11 at the couple’s home in Switzerland’s Wallis canton, according to Geneva broadcaster Leman Bleu. His wife, Jessica Moretti, was hospitalized as a result of the alleged violence. The couple’s lawyers confirmed the report in a statement Sunday, emphasizing that the alleged events are part of a separate case pertaining "exclusively to their private life" and should not be linked to the January fire .
The Morettis are among 16 people under criminal investigation for the Jan. 1 blaze, which killed 41—most of them teenagers—and injured 115 others. They face charges including manslaughter by negligence and arson by negligence. Swiss officials have previously admitted lapses in safety inspections at the bar prior to the fire.
Neither the public prosecutor’s office nor the couple’s lawyers responded immediately to requests for comment. However, the lawyers’ statement acknowledged the "particularly intense ordeal" the Morettis have faced since the tragedy .
Moretti’s detention comes as the investigation into the fire continues. The case has drawn widespread scrutiny, with authorities examining potential negligence in the bar’s operations and safety protocols. The latest development adds a new legal dimension to the ongoing probe, though officials have stressed that the domestic violence allegations remain distinct from the fire-related charges.
Follow us for live European news
- 4
- 3
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
5 further sources not geolocated



![[lalibre] Incendie meurtrier de Crans-Montana : le patron du bar placé en détention pour violences conjugales #Europe](https://files.mastodon.social/cache/preview_cards/images/204/611/719/original/192e7a25e24437dc.jpg)


