Novi Ligure Murder

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The Novi Ligure Murder was a brutal multiple murder that took place on the evening of 21 February 2001 in Novi Ligure, Italy. Susy Cassini, 42-year-old, accountant, and her son, 11-year-old Gianluca De Nardo, were both stabbed multiple times in their home, while their husband and father Francesco De Nardo (45-year-old, manager in the famous Pernigotti chocolate factory) escaped death just because he was playing soccer with some friends. The murders drew widespread media attention in Italy when 16-year-old Erika De Nardo, daughter and sister of the victims, blamed the murder on Albanian immigrants. However, the police didn't believe her, because of the girl's odd behaviour. Indeed, the crime scene didn't suggest a robbery: doors and windows weren't forced and nothing precious had been stolen. The family owned two dogs, but they didn't bark at all and neighbours noticed nothing unusual. Moreover: why Susy and Gianluca had been over-killed, while young Erika was safe and didn't exactly seem shocked? Some close friends described the 16-year-old girl as "strange". And her diary was full of terrible sentences as "Mama, I hate you"... Two days later, Erika and her boyfriend Omar Favaro (17-year-old) were left alone in a room at the police station where some hidden microphones and a camera recorded the shocking sweethearts' confession.

It is reported that Erika performed the very scene of the stabbing, while whispering: "I hit her (referring to her mother)quite here..." and later even asked Omar: "You enjoyed killin' em, didn't you?". But Omar was upset and even hit her: "Come here, you, murderer!" the boy screamed.

Few hours later, Erika and Omar were arrested for double murder. The murder is regarded as a case study in how prejudice and media overexposure can affect a criminal investigation.

[edit] Initial response

In response to Erika's original claim that immigrants had murdered her brother and mother, newspapers demanded a crackdown on illegal immigrants, and the Northern League held anti-immigrant demonstrations.

After early media reports, members of the public created a website called "erikatiamo" (meaning "Erika, I love you") in support of Erika. However, after intervention by the Italian magistracy, the website was later forced to shut down.

[edit] Aftermath

A juvenile court in Turin sentenced Erika to 16 years in jail and Omar to 14 years in jail.

Italian politicians reflected uncomfortably on the anti-immigrant frenzy the case had generated, with Minister of Justice Piero Fassino declaring, "I believe that someone should beg the pardon of immigrants. The level of incivility we've seen in this country in the last 48 hours should make us all reflect."