Ex-boyfriend sentenced to life in prison in femicide case that gripped Italy

A court in Italy has sentenced 23-year-old Filippo Turetta to life in prison for the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend, Giulia Cecchettin. The femicide, which has sparked widespread outrage over gender-based violence in the country, took place in November 2023, just one week before Cecchettin was set to graduate from the University of Padua. Turetta, who admitted to the killing, was found guilty by a court in Venice for murder, illegal possession of weapons, kidnapping, and the concealment of a corpse. He was also ordered to compensate Cecchettin’s family for financial damages and cover their legal costs.

The Italian legal system generally relies on either a panel of judges or a combination of judges and lay jurors to deliver verdicts and sentencing. After murdering Cecchettin, Turetta confessed to stuffing her body into garbage bags and discarding it in a ravine before fleeing the country. He was apprehended 10 days later in Germany after Cecchettin went missing.

Turetta showed no emotion in court as the sentence was read, staring at the desk in front of him while his lawyers flanked him. Cecchettin’s father, Gino, who was present in the courtroom, did not look at his daughter’s killer. His wife had passed away from an illness in 2022. After the verdict, Gino Cecchettin expressed his ambivalence, saying, “I feel neither relieved nor more saddened. As a father, nothing has changed.”

The prosecutor, Andrea Petroni, had requested the life sentence, citing the aggravating factors in the case. These included Turetta’s planning, which involved procuring knives, rope, tape, black garbage bags, and even a wet sock to prevent Cecchettin from screaming. He kept these items in his car for days before luring his former girlfriend under the pretense of wanting to stop stalking her and trying to be friends.

During the 10-week trial, Turetta testified, admitting to the murder and the concealment of the body. He explained that he had written a list detailing how he might carry out the crime, but he claimed he didn’t plan to actually follow through. “I was angry and resentful. We had just argued, and I wanted to get back together, but I didn’t know,” he testified.

Turetta’s lawyer, Giovanni Caruso, argued against the life sentence, calling it “inhumane and degrading,” and stating that his client should not be compared to notorious criminals like Pablo Escobar. Meanwhile, the court also reviewed a list written by Cecchettin, which her family found. It was titled “15 reasons I should leave Filippo,” and included disturbing signs of the relationship’s toxicity, such as his obsessive behavior and attempts to control her. Cecchettin had also noted Turetta’s dangerous tendencies, including his ideas about vigilante justice.

This tragic case has fueled the ongoing debate about violence against women in Italy. One woman is killed by a partner or ex-partner in the country every three days, according to government data. Over 106 women have been murdered since Cecchettin’s death, with the youngest victim being a 13-year-old girl allegedly pushed off a balcony by her 15-year-old boyfriend in November. Cecchettin was the 105th woman killed in 2023.

In the wake of her sister’s death, Elena Cecchettin, alongside their father, has launched a foundation to combat violence against women. They have publicly criticized the Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, accusing it of not doing enough to prevent femicide. Elena Cecchettin voiced her frustration on social media, questioning what action the government was taking to combat the issue. Members of Meloni’s administration have, however, denied that patriarchy is still a widespread problem in Italy.