PARIS — French police say a man was mistakenly arrested in Scotland on suspicion he was a French fugitive suspected of killing his entire family in 2011 and who later disappeared, in a mystery that transfixed the country.

Xavier Dupont de Ligonnes has been sought by police over his suspected involvement in the deaths of his wife and their four children in the western city of Nantes.

His disappearance had long stumped investigators, leading some to speculate that he had died.

This file photo taken on April 23, 2011 shows the portrait of suspect in the murder of his family Xavier Dupont de Ligonnes on the registration form of his rifle club where he had carried out shooting practice in the French western city of Nantes. - / AFP - Getty Images

A French police spokesman told The Associated Press that French and Scottish investigators determined Saturday that the fingerprints of the man detained in Glasgow on Friday do not match those of the missing suspect.

Le Parisien said the fugitive was traveling under a fake name, and had been detained following a tip-off.

The murders shocked France in 2011 after the bodies of the Dupont de Ligonnes family, as well as their two dogs, were discovered buried under the terrace of the family home.

It later emerged that the suspect had financial problems and had signed up to a local rifle club for shooting practice.

Police found a message he had sent in 2010 in which he had said he wanted to kill his family.