Location: Italy – Disability Day of Mourning

Rosalia Garofalo

Blurry photo of a middle-aged woman wearing a black-and-white checked scarf. Her hair is tied back. Name: Rosalia Garofalo.
Died: January 29, 2020.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Trauma-related pneumothorax and respiratory failure.
Location: Marsala, Sicily, Italy.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Rosalia’s husband allegedly beat her to death over the course of three days. She had been abused by her husband many times over the years of her marriage.

Case status:
Vincenzo Frasillo (Husband), charged with voluntary homicide, domestic abuse, and assault.

Source:
Processo femminicidio Mazara del Vallo, sentiti investigatori della Polizia
Man indicted for beating to death disabled wife
Al via processo per l’omicidio della mazarese Rosalia Garofalo uccisa un anno fa dal marito

Gina Riccò

No Photo Name: Gina Riccò.
Died: October 25, 2018.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Langhirano, Parma, Italy.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Gina’s husband shot her, then jumped out a fourth-story window to his death.

Case status:
Gino Ziveri (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Tragedia: lo stupore e il dolore dei langhiranesi Video
Man, 80, shoots wife, kill self – English

Paola Manchisi

Name: Paola Manchisi.
Died: January 6, 2018.
Age at death: 31.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Polignano a Mare, Italy.
Disability: Unspecified; possibly mental illness.

Details:
Paola died of starvation at the age of 31, weighing only 30 kilograms. She was found in a filthy, cluttered house, where she had been kept isolated by her parents since she was a teenager.

Case status:
Her parents, both charged with neglect.

Source:
Parents of dead disabled woman probe
Bari, a disabled 31-year-old dies of starvation: parents accused
Bari, 31enne disabile muore di stenti. Dito puntato sui genitori
Polignano, disabile muore di stentiGenitori indagati per abbandono
Trentunenne muore di stenti nel Barese. I genitori indagati per abbandono
La terribile morte di Paola a 31 anni a Polignano e la ricerca di una motivazione che non c’è
Bari. Disabile morta di stenti, il parroco: bussavo, non hanno mai risposto
La brutta storia di Paola Manchisi
PAOLA MANCHISI/ Disabile morta di stenti a Polignano: fratello Lorenzo, “usciva normalmente” (Pomeriggio 5)
Chi l’ha Visto – Misteri – Perché nessuno è riuscito a salvare Paola, segregata e morta di stenti in casa?

Wilma Paletti

No Photo Name: Wilma Paletti.
Died: March 29, 2017.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Knife wound.
Location: Felegara, Parma, Italy.
Disability: Chronic illness; bedbound.

Details:
Wilma was stabbed to death by her husband in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Gianfranco Carpana (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Homicide-suicide near Parma
Felegara, uccide la moglie malata con un coltello e si suicida

Andrea Spina

No Photo Name: Andrea Spina.
Died: November 7, 2016.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Murder.
Location: Vespolate, Novara, Italy.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy.

Details:
Andrea’s father took him out of the institution where he lived; then, when Andrea was asleep, his father strangled him.

Case status:
Pietro Spina (Father), charged with murder, acquitted by reason of insanity.

Source:
Prosciolto Pietro Spina, l’uomo che uccise il figlio autistico e poi tentò il suicidio
Man kills disabled son, attempts suicide
The family drama in Vespolate: father kills disabled child and attempted suicide
Novara: uccide figlio disabile e tenta suicidio: padre ricoverato in ospedale
Novara, 52enne soffoca il figlio 20enne disabile e tenta il suicidio
“Non può restare solo” e disperato prende una sconcertante decisione
Vespolate, uccide il figlio disabile e tenta il suicidio
Uccide il figlio disabile e tenta il suicidio. Temeva che sarebbe rimasto da solo
Vespolate, padre uccide il figlio disabile e poi tenta il suicidio
Dramma a Vespolate: “Non riusciamo a darci spiegazioni del gesto di Pietro”
Il dramma di Vespolate: “Pietro voleva farla finita, ma nessuno immaginava uccidesse il figlio”

Maddalena Pavesi

Name: Maddalena Pavesi.
Died: August 22, 2016.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Carpi, Italy.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Maddalena’s husband killed her. He told police he had done it because he could no longer cope with her Alzheimer’s disease.

Case status:
Pierino Corradini (Husband), convicted of voluntary murder, sentenced to 14 years.

Source:
83-year-old Italian man shoots wife dead because she had Alzheimer’s disease
Carpi, omicidio della disperazione. L’assassino pentito resta in carcere
Carpi: «Sta male», e spara alla moglie ammalata

Luciana Torcello

Portrait photo of Luciana Torcelli; she is an elderly woman with curly gray hair and fair skin. She is wearing a red blouse and glasses. Name: Luciana Torcello.
Died: March 29, 2016.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Staranzano, Italy.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Luciana’s husband strangled her, then killed himself.

Case status:
Zuppi Pietro (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Staranzano, soffoca la moglie malata e poi si impicca
Staranzano, moglie ha alzheimer. La soffoca e si impicca

Mirella Guth

No Photo Name: Mirella Guth.
Died: March 7, 2016.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Verona, Italy.
Disability: Mobility impaired after stroke.

Details:
Mirella was stabbed to death. Her 37-year-old autistic son Davide was attacked in the same incident; Davide survived, though with serious injuries. Police found a letter allegedly written by Mirella’s husband, which said that he had killed them because caring for his wife and son had become “too much” for him.

Case status:
Giancarlo Righetti (Husband), charged with murder and attempted murder.

Source:
Woman dead after stabbing by husband
Uccide la moglie inferma, accoltella il figlio autistico e tenta il suicidio
Verona, uccide moglie malata, ferisce il figlio autistico poi tenta il suicidio
Verona, uccise la moglie a coltellate «Ho agito in preda a un raptus»

Antonio Tucci

Photo of a balding man wearing a turquoise shirt. He has a wide grin on his face and his eyes are squeezed nearly shut with amusement. Name: Antonio Tucci.
Died: December 7, 2015.
Age at death: 71.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Castel del Piano, Italy.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Antonio was beaten to death, dying of head trauma after what looked like a robbery gone wrong. However, two days later, Antonio’s nephew was arrested. They had lived together in the past, and now Antonio’s nephew was demanding his pension money. When he would not give him the money, Antonio’s nephew killed him.

Antonio Tucci was a retired baker.

Case status:
Claudio Orlando (Nephew), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30 years.

Source:
Antonio Tucci: il caso dell’omicidio del pensionato ucciso a bastonate in casa sua
Wheelchair-bound pensioner murdered
Anziano trovato morto, fermato un nipote

Lia Cotroneo

No Photo Name: Lia Cotroneo.
Died: November 19, 2015.
Age at death: 88.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Turin, Italy.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Lia was allegedly smothered by her husband.

Case status:
Angiolo Zanasi (Husband); committed suicide about 6 months later.

Source:
Pensioner commits suicide
Uccise moglie malata, suicida anziano