AI
Written with AI assistance•January 19, 2026•
AI
Generated IllustrationThe investigation into the deadly New Year's Eve fire at Le Constellation bar is facing new complexities, with prosecutors setting bail for the owners, lawyers for victims' families criticizing the lack of autopsies, and the owners' own legal team condemning media leaks.
"It is incomprehensible that autopsies were not ordered immediately."
"The dead were also their dead."
The legal noose is tightening around the owners of Le Constellation as the Valais public prosecutor's office sets a staggering bail of CHF 200,000 ($250,000) for each defendant. Jacques and Jessica Moretti are now squarely in the crosshairs of a criminal investigation that has gripped the nation, facing grave charges of manslaughter, bodily harm, and arson by negligence. While Jacques Moretti remains locked in custody for an initial three-month period due to flight risks, his wife faces strict travel bans and daily police reporting duties.
This high-stakes financial ultimatum comes as the judiciary grapples with the enormity of the disaster. The court's decision underscores the severity of the allegations, yet the Morettis' defense team argues that with their assets seized and income obliterated, the sum is a crushing burden. As the tribunal prepares to finalize the exact amount, the message from the authorities is clear: accountability will be pursued with aggressive determination.
In a baffling procedural lapse that has ignited fury among grieving families, Swiss authorities failed to order immediate routine autopsies for the 40 victims of the blaze. Lawyers representing the bereaved are calling the omission "incomprehensible," arguing that vital evidence regarding the exact cause of death—whether by fire, smoke inhalation, or the crush of the stampede—may have been lost forever. The negligence is stark: 34 bodies were found piled at the bottom of the basement staircase, a horrific detail that demands precise forensic reconstruction.
International tensions are flaring as Italy's ambassador confirmed that none of the six Italian victims underwent post-mortem examinations in Switzerland, forcing Rome's prosecutors to intervene and demand the repatriation of remains. This forensic void has forced some families to endure the trauma of postponing funerals or contemplating exhumation. As Jean-Luc Addor, a lawyer for one of the victims, stated with chilling clarity, this failure is "not normal" for violent deaths, casting a long shadow over the competence of the initial investigation.
Fighting a war on two fronts, the legal team for the Moretti couple has launched a blistering counter-offensive against what they term "vindictiveness" and "lies." Defense attorneys vehemently deny circulating rumors, specifically debunking a viral claim that Jessica Moretti was seen on video fleeing the inferno with the cash register. They insist their clients are "devastated" and view the tragedy as a personal loss, asserting, "The dead were also their dead."
Crucially, the defense is challenging the narrative of negligence regarding safety standards. They maintain that the emergency exits were unlocked and equipped with proper "panic handles," and that the controversial sound insulation foam had been cleared by municipal inspectors multiple times. By attacking the credibility of the leaks and standing firm on compliance records, the defense is attempting to shift the narrative from criminal negligence to an unforeseeable catastrophe, setting the stage for a brutal courtroom showdown.
With 40 lives extinguished and 116 survivors bearing physical and psychological scars, the Crans-Montana fire has shattered the illusion of Swiss safety. The scale of the tragedy is unprecedented in recent memory, forcing the nation to confront uncomfortable questions about regulatory oversight and emergency preparedness. The investigation, now marred by forensic controversies and aggressive legal maneuvering, promises to be long and arduous.
As the snow settles on the charred remains of Le Constellation, the focus shifts to the pursuit of absolute truth. The Valais public prosecutor's office is under immense pressure to rectify early missteps and deliver justice for the families whose trust in the system has been shaken. This is no longer just a local inquiry; it is a national reckoning that will determine whether Switzerland can uphold its reputation as a land of rules and safety in the face of devastating failure.