Prosecutors in France have demanded a 15-year prison sentence for a woman accused of setting her grandfather on fire, resulting in his death — a case that has shocked the nation and drawn widespread media attention.

The 32-year-old defendant, whose name is being withheld under French privacy laws, is standing trial in the eastern city of Colmar for the brutal killing of her 84-year-old grandfather in 2021. Prosecutors allege that she doused the elderly man with flammable liquid before setting him ablaze inside his home during a family dispute.

According to court documents, the man died from severe burns after being airlifted to a regional hospital. Investigators described the scene as “horrific,” with evidence of premeditation and extreme violence.

Prosecutors argued that the act was intentional and rooted in longstanding familial tensions, and urged the court to impose a 15-year sentence, citing the “cruelty and irreversibility” of the crime.

“The accused showed a shocking disregard for human life, particularly for someone as vulnerable as her elderly grandfather,” said lead prosecutor Marie-Hélène Pierret during closing arguments.

Defense lawyers, however, argued that the woman was mentally unstable at the time of the incident and should be considered for psychiatric care rather than a long-term prison sentence. They requested a reduced sentence or institutional treatment based on psychological evaluations submitted to the court.

The trial has drawn public interest due to the deeply disturbing nature of the crime and the rare occurrence of such intrafamilial violence in France.

The verdict is expected later this week.