Longtime Warner Music exec’s former partner facing murder charges

Peter Ikin’s former partner is facing murder charges relating to the longtime Warner Music executive’s death in a Paris hotel more than a decade ago.

Ikin, a widely respected music man who is remembered as the architect of Warner Music’s Australian presence, died in 2008 from a suspected heart attack. He was 62.

Now, a French judge has ruled that Ikin’s partner Alexandre Despallieres would face trial for first-degree murder and forgery.

Despallieres, 52, raised suspicions when he presented a secret will which made him the sole beneficiary of the late exec’s estate. Further questions were raised when it emerged he had married Ikin in a civil ceremony in London just weeks before his death.

Reports from the time suggest the Frenchman went on a spending spree, acquiring several Porsches just months after Ikin’s passing.

The Frenchman had insisted Ikin’s death was the result of a heart attack, though a toxicology report later reveal lethal levels of paracetamol in his bloodstream.

The will turned out to be a fake and, in June 2010, Despallieres was arrested and held on remand for suspicion of murder and for the forgery.

He spent the best part of two years in a Paris prison, though he was released on bail pending a decision on whether he could face trial.

The wheels of justice cranked up a gear last week with reports of a new dossier of information leading to a decision to bring a trial.

“This indictment is a relief,” says French lawyer Marion Gregoire for Ikin’s family.

Ikin enjoyed a storied career in the music industry, from which he retired in 2000 after a quarter century. Recognised for his loyalty and for his respect for the artists he represented, Ikin was managing director of the U.S. repertoire division of Warner Music Australia from 1987-91 and, later, Warner Music International senior VP of international marketing and artist development, based in London.

Ikin was also a co-founder of the ARIA Awards, serving as a key member of the ARIAs board of governors and as deputy chairman for the first six years.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.