An Italian prosecutor has asked a Rome court to hand a life sentence to Francis Kaufmann, the US citizen standing trial for the double homicide of his partner and their 13-month-old daughter.
Prosecutor Antonio Verdi made the request on Monday, seeking life imprisonment plus three years of daytime solitary confinement for the defendant. Kaufmann, who also went by the alias Rexal Ford, was arrested June 13, on the Greek island of Skiathos. That arrest came one week after the two bodies were discovered in Villa Pamphili, a sprawling park in central Rome.
Investigators built their case using witness testimony and surveillance footage, according to details that emerged during the proceedings. Verdi characterized Kaufmann as manipulative and narcissistic in his arguments to the court. He did not, however, outline what motive authorities believe drove the killings.
Kaufmann has maintained his innocence throughout the trial. The defendant is currently being held in a Rome jail as the proceedings continue.
A lawyer for Kaufmann did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the prosecutor’s sentencing request.
The bodies were found last year in Villa Pamphili, one of Rome’s largest public parks, situated in the western part of the city. The discovery set off a manhunt that ended with Kaufmann’s capture on Skiathos, an island in the northwest Aegean Sea known as a tourist destination.
Under Italian law, defendants are entitled to two levels of appeal, meaning any verdict would face automatic review through higher courts. The trial structure allows for extensive challenges to both factual findings and legal interpretations.
A first-instance verdict in Kaufmann’s case is expected on Nov. 5.