Was the Monster of Florence ever caught? Update on disturbing Netflix series

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Netflix has launched a four-part docudrama called ‘The Monster of Florence,’ revisiting the infamous and long-unsolved case of a series of murders in Europe. The series leaves viewers wondering if the killer was ever brought to justice. Please be aware that this show contains potentially disturbing content.

“The Monster of Florence” is a new true crime series, similar to others like “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” and “Murdaugh: Death in the Family.” It tells the story of a serial killer—or group of killers—who committed murders in the countryside near Florence, Italy, between 1968 and 1985.

Over a period of time, eight couples—sixteen people in total—were murdered using a .22 caliber Beretta pistol. The killer targeted couples parked in private, out-of-the-way places, and frequently committed acts of extreme violence against the women.

This Netflix series explores a complex case through the eyes of various suspects, revealing a troubled family background. Each episode delves into how the investigation was hampered by systemic issues, fueled by intense media coverage, and amplified public fear.

Was the Monster of Florence ever caught?

Even though many investigations took place and several people were arrested and found guilty of crimes, no one has ever been conclusively identified as the person responsible for all of them. The weapon used in the murders was never found, leading many to believe the Monster of Florence case remains unsolved.

The Italian press nicknamed the killer “Il Mostro” (meaning “the monster”), and many theories arose about who they were and why they committed the crimes. Over the years, several people were accused of being the Monster of Florence, but the case was reopened in the 2000s.

In Italy, the case remains open in the public eye, and the families of the victims have recently asked for a fresh look at the evidence. While numerous people have been considered as potential suspects, a recent true crime series has highlighted the ‘Sardinian Trail’ as a key area of investigation.

What is the Sardinian Trail?

Early in the investigation of the Monster of Florence case, detectives explored a controversial idea known as the “Sardinian Trail.” This theory suggested the killer, or killers, came from Sardinia and had personal connections – through relationships and family – to the initial victims.

On June 19, 1982, Antonella Migliorini and Paolo Mainardi were murdered in Montespertoli by the so-called “Monster of Florence.”

— LA CASE Books (@LACASEBooks) June 19, 2022

After the murders of Paolo Mainardi and Antonella Migliorini in 1982, investigators looked back at the 1968 killings of Antonio Lo Bianco and Barbara Locci, who are thought to be the earliest victims of the Monster of Florence.

Stefano Mele, Locci’s husband, was initially found guilty of murdering both her and Bianco. However, when police discovered that Mainardi and Migliorini were killed with the same gun used in the earlier 1982 murders, they began to suspect either Mele had help, or he wasn’t the actual killer.

Francesco Vinci, a past partner of Locci’s, was initially arrested and held for over a year. Investigators then extended their focus, arresting Mele’s brother, Giovanni Mele, and brother-in-law, Piero Mucciarini. But when more murders occurred in 1984, all three men were released. Mele himself was also freed after serving six years in prison.

Investigators now largely believe this line of inquiry was a distraction, costing valuable time and effort that could have been spent pursuing more promising leads.

Who were the other suspects?

Over the 17 years this serial killer was active, many people became suspects. Here’s a look at the most important ones – not including those connected to the Sardinian Trail.

Pietro Pacciani, what many believe to have been “The Monster of Florence”, shows an image of Jesus in court as he tries to prove his innocence. 1994 (1177×534)
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  • Enzo Spalletti – A young voyeur and paramedic who was jailed for three months in 1983 after being charged with murder, before being cleared
  • Francesco Vinci – Arrested in the mid-1980s for allegedly hiding evidence, Vinci was never convicted for the main killings
  • Pietro Pacciani – A farmer from Scandicci who was convicted in 1994 for some murders and then acquitted on appeal in 1996; he died of a heart attack in 1998 before a retrial
  • Mario Vanni, Giancarlo Lotti & Giovanni Faggi – Alleged accomplices in the Pacciani investigation. All three were tried in the late 1990s: Vanni and Lotti were convicted and sentenced to prison in 1998, while Faggi was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Lotti died in 2002, and Vanni in 2009
  • “Snack Buddies” – The nickname given to Pacciani and his circle, referencing their habit of meeting for snacks and drinks. Their circle was later involved in a controversial satanic cult theory, with Lotti alleging that Pacciani had been hired to collect body parts of victims to use in rituals, although this theory has been discredited
  • Francesco Calamandrei – A pharmacist who was tried in 2008 after allegations he was tied to the satanic cult theory, but he was ultimately acquitted

The investigation into the Monster of Florence was a mess. Mistakes, leaks, incorrect clues, conflicts between agencies, constantly changing ideas about what happened, and broader social problems all combined to make the case more baffling, not clearer.

According to the Netflix series, and the first prosecutor on the case, Liliana Bottone, the motive behind the Monster of Florence wasn’t complex – it wasn’t about revenge or cults. It was simply the hatred of a deeply disturbed individual towards women.

The real Silvia Della Monica comments on the Monster of Florence

Speaking with Adnkronos, Della Monica commended the series The Monster of Florence and its director, Stefano Sollima. She emphasized that the crimes weren’t simply a string of murders, but rather a deeply rooted and disturbing expression of hatred towards women.

Working as a prosecutor in Florence, she quickly realized the murders from the 1980s were connected to crimes committed in 1968. Despite finding many pieces of the victims’ bodies, in 1985, Della Monica received a disturbing letter containing a breast tissue sample from one of the victims, Nadine Mauriot.

Describing the crimes, Della Monica explained that a woman was repeatedly targeted and killed – though the term ‘femicide’ wasn’t used at the time. The victims’ bodies were often severely mutilated, and the men were killed primarily because they stood in the way.

Speaking about the show, she said Sollima did a careful and accurate job recreating the time period. She only helped with a few technical details, but she was glad he portrayed the horror and suffering with respect for the victims, avoiding sensationalism.

His investigation started by revisiting a key element that had been largely ignored for years – the root of the story. This led him to uncover connections to a 1968 double homicide, the likely weapon – a .22 Beretta pistol that was never recovered – a lead originating in Sardinia, and, crucially, a pattern of violence against women that seemed to underlie everything.

Della Monica explained that the show realistically portrays a harsh and male-dominated world. She noted that women at the time were treated as objects and had little worth, existing within a system of strong, ingrained, and unspoken male control.

She explained that she was the first woman to serve as a magistrate in the Florence Prosecutor’s Office, and likely the first in the entire Court of Appeal district. She was particularly involved in the Baccaiano case, a crime that took place on June 19, 1982.

At that time, I requested permission from the family to create a media reenactment of the events. We agreed with the news outlets to report that the boy had lived and was able to share details with the investigators.

I expected the person responsible to reach out, and they eventually did call, but unfortunately, the technology to record the conversation wasn’t reliable enough at that time.

Della Monica explained that the lead from Sardinia was crucial because it connected the later murders to the 1968 killing, and specifically to the .22 caliber pistol used in all of them.

Sadly, the murder weapon was never recovered. The investigation focused on two main goals: catching the person responsible for these horrific crimes to bring closure to the victims’ families and reassure the frightened people of Tuscany, and also proceeding with increased caution. This was because every time a suspect was arrested in the 1980s, another double murder would inevitably occur.

She didn’t agree with the arrests of Mele and Mucciarini, especially since the gun hadn’t been found, even though nothing else had changed in the evidence. She was worried this could lead to another double murder.

I was already working on several other international investigations into organized crime, and I thought it would be best to withdraw from this case without causing any friction among the team.

After Mauriot’s remains were delivered to the district office, I had to go back, despite my reluctance. It was a gruesome act, but not unexpected – I’d actually predicted something like this as a way to test the investigators, especially Piero Vigna, whose excellent skills I’d relied on during the investigation.

Vigna saw this message, sent along with a piece of the victim’s breast, as another offense against women and specifically as a provocation aimed at a female judge.

Della Monica stated she never intended to sway the investigations of future detectives. She emphasized that all of her colleagues who worked on the Monster murders approached the cases with dedication and professionalism.

It’s impossible to fully understand the challenges of working with the limited resources and intense emotional strain they faced, especially with so much riding on their success. We still haven’t discovered what really happened, and that unresolved question continues to be deeply upsetting.

Could the killer still get identified?

Investigators are still considering this possibility, especially with new evidence coming to light. In early 2024, Dr. Lorenzo Iovino, a US-based Italian doctor specializing in cancer and blood disorders, reviewed DNA evidence connected to the case, sparking renewed interest.

CBS News reports that DNA was recovered from a .22 caliber Winchester bullet found in 2015. The bullet was discovered in a cushion that belonged to Mauriot and Jean-Michel Kraveichvili, a couple who were murdered in 1985.

Investigators found the same DNA on bullets linked to two separate murder cases: the 1983 killings of Horst Wilhelm Meyer and Jens-Uwe Rusch, and the 1984 murders of Pia Rontini and Claudio Stefanacci. According to Daniele Piccione, a lawyer working on the case, this discovery could be a significant breakthrough.

This year, the remains of Francesco Vinci, who was an initial suspect in the Sardinian Trail case, were exhumed at his family’s request. They wanted to be certain the remains buried in 1993 were actually his. The examination confirmed his identity, and now investigators may be able to compare his DNA to evidence found at the crime scene.

Despite the passage of time, new forensic techniques keep the Monster of Florence case ongoing, and there’s still a small chance the person – or people – responsible could eventually be identified.

You can now watch “The Monster of Florence” on Netflix. If you enjoy true crime, you might also be interested in learning about the Adeline Watkins case, the connection between Ed Gein and the Ted Bundy investigation, and the story of Kendra Licari, who cyberstalked her own daughter.

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2025-10-24 14:51