Ex-girlfriend murdered

Italy: Life imprisonment in the “Giulia case”

Filippo Turetta is alleged to have kidnapped and murdered his ex-girlfriend Giulia Cecchettin. He also spent time in Austria while on the run.(Bild: AP)

In Venice, the trial in one of the most sensational murder cases of recent years has come to an end with the defendant being sentenced to life imprisonment. The public prosecutor's office had accused 22-year-old Filippo Turetta of kidnapping and murdering his ex-girlfriend Giulia Cecchettin. The verdict is not yet final. 

Biomedical engineering student Turetta was arrested on November 23, 2023 on a freeway near Leipzig after a week-long escape via Austria. In court, Turetta was found guilty of stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death in November 2023 and dumping her body in a ravine near a lake in the Friulian province of Pordenone.

Countless stab wounds on the victim's body
Countless stab wounds were found on the victim's body, many of them on her arms, which proves the woman's desperate attempt to defend herself, according to the public prosecutor.

Giulia Cecchettin's funeral was attended by numerous people, including high-ranking political representatives.(Bild: AFP)

Protests in Italy for the protection of women
The case had caused quite a stir in Italy and also led to numerous protests by women's rights organizations. Following the killing of the young woman, the Italian parliament passed a bill to strengthen the protection of women at risk and survivors of gender-based violence.

The package of measures includes increased monitoring of men who are guilty of domestic violence as well as an increase in staffing for the relevant institutions.