29‑year‑old TikToker Sonia Bellina found charred in vineyard; investigators search for killer

French investigators are searching for the killer of 29-year-old TikTok creator Sonia Bellina after a partially burned body was found in a vineyard in the Gard department.

The body was discovered on August 12 in the Saint-Gilles area, roughly 20 kilometres from Nîmes, by a vineyard worker; prosecutors and police say the circumstances point to a violent homicide and investigators have opened a criminal inquiry.

Forensic teams and gendarmes on the scene

Nearly 40 gendarmes and forensic specialists have been deployed to comb the site for traces that might lead to the perpetrator. Authorities have said DNA testing is under way to establish the victim's identity with certainty, but investigators increasingly believe the remains are those of Bellina, who had been reported missing since August 10.

Relatives told French media that on the evening she disappeared Sonia had planned to meet a man she had previously dated. While no official motive has been announced and there are no publicly named suspects, the family has described the loss as devastating and asked social networks to remove offensive posts and stop targeted online harassment.

Bellina rose to prominence on TikTok, amassing more than 259,000 followers after she began posting in 2020, sharing lifestyle clips and lip-sync videos. Although she had posted less frequently over the past year, her account remained popular and thousands of followers have left messages of condolence.

A circulating tweet read: "She ran into the wrong guy at the wrong time. I never thought this would happen to our family, to us. Especially since she was a sunny, kind… pic.twitter.com/WHBAq7GMNt" (post circulated online August 18, 2026).

Prosecutors continue the investigation in Gard and are asking anyone with information to contact local authorities as inquiries proceed and DNA results are awaited.

Photo: press material from the event