Claude Gilliot

Claude Gilliot was a prominent French scholar and professor emeritus of Islamology at Aix-Marseille University. He was also a priest closely connected to Émile Soleil's family, having baptized the young boy. Gilliot's relationship with the family soured after he publicly shared a photo of Émile, leading to tensions that culminated in his tragic suicide in March 2024, shortly after the discovery of Émile's remains.