Molise police probe ricin murders in Pietracatella

Two women – 50‑year‑old Antonella Di Ielsi and her 15‑year‑old daughter Sara Di Vita – were found dead in the small Molise town of Pietracatella after being poisoned with ricin shortly after Christmas. The Mobile Squad of Campobasso, led by Marco Graziano and overseen by prosecutor Elvira Antonelli, has conducted more than 100 interviews and seized digital devices to trace the source of the toxin. Investigators have re‑interviewed family members, including husband Gianni Di Vita and cousin Laura Di Vita, and have focused on a very limited pool of suspects, reportedly a few females within the victims’ close family circle. Parish priest Don Stefano Fracassi, who heard the victims’ confessions on 25 December, was questioned for three hours. Forensic analysis has ruled out accidental ingestion, confirming that the ricin was deliberately administered, though the motive and procurement of the poison remain unknown. The case continues to draw national and international attention due to the rarity of ricin as a murder weapon.