During the ongoing trial before the Paris Assize Court, former rugby player Shaun Hegarty delivered a harrowing testimony detailing the final moments of his friend and business partner, Federico Martin-Aramburu, who was shot dead on Boulevard Saint-Germain in March 2022.
The Testimony on Boulevard Saint-Germain
Taking the stand on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at the Paris Assize Court, Shaun Hegarty retraced the tragic sequence of events that unfolded on March 18, 2022. The two men, who were former rugby professionals and business partners in a sports event management venture, had spent the evening celebrating a newly secured World Cup partnership in Paris, where they had traveled to attend a tournament match.
What began as a cordial evening turned tense following an initial confrontation inside the establishment involving the two former athletes and two other patrons, Loïk Le Priol and Romain Bouvier. After venue staff intervened, Hegarty and Martin-Aramburu left to return to their hotel. However, the situation reignited shortly afterward outside on the street. Hegarty described hearing a vehicle approach before Romain Bouvier allegedly opened fire, striking Martin-Aramburu with multiple bullets.
Final Moments and Legal Proceedings
As chaos unfolded on the street, Loïk Le Priol subsequently approached and discharged a weapon multiple times, resulting in fatal injuries to the former Argentina international, who was 42 years old. Testifying before the court, Hegarty recalled his friend’s final words: “Shaun, appelle la police, je vais mourir” (Shaun, call the police, I am going to die). Hegarty described holding Martin-Aramburu in his arms as he succumbed to his injuries.
The trial features Loïk Le Priol judged for murder and Romain Bouvier for attempted murder, though both defendants have contested having an explicit intent to kill, raising arguments surrounding the circumstances of the altercation. Hegarty strongly rejected the notion of self-defense advanced by the defense teams, telling the court that the accused individuals returned armed and pursued them.
Expectations From the Courtroom
When questioned by the court’s presiding president regarding his expectations for the trial, Hegarty expressed hope that the defendants would acknowledge their actions and demonstrate accountability. Both defendants were apprehended following the incident in 2022—Le Priol near the Hungary-Ukraine border and Bouvier in the Sarthe department—and the legal proceedings continue before the Paris Assize Court.
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