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2026-08-05 10:48 UTC → 2026-08-07 11:02 UTC ·
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Garlasco murder case: renewed debate and new evidence forensic challenges, trial delay
Intense media and judicial scrutiny of the The 2007 killing of Chiara Poggi continued through mid‑2026. continues to dominate Italian media and the courts. DNA from the victim’s fingernails still points to the paternal line of Andrea Sempio, while forensic experts dispute the shoe‑print reconstruction that linked convicted murderer Alberto Stasi to the narrow corridor. New technical consultancy commissioned by the Poggi family calculated only 34 cm of usable corridor space, arguing Stasi could not have traversed it without leaving shoe marks. Independent shoe‑print analysis by graphic designer Mario Felici later suggested the footprints match a different model, further challenging the original evidence. The Pavia prosecutor’s office In early August, Stasi filed a request to review his sentence, citing Felici’s study that questions the shoe‑print evidence. Criminologist Roberta Bruzzone used social media to warn that the case has become a media‑driven “personal crusade,” distorting public perception. Meanwhile, prosecutors in Pavia are finalising four additional forensic expert reports by August, re‑examining ahead of the nail‑DNA match, 28 September deadline on whether to indict Sempio. The reports examine the disputed parking‑receipt alibi, and compatibility of a blood‑stained “Frau” size‑42 shoe imprint with Sempio’s psychological profile. Prosecutors aim to close foot, the preliminary investigation by late September, after which an indictment against Sempio may be sought. Legal actions multiplied: DNA fragments from the victim’s nails, a criminal defamation probe was opened against attorney Antonio De Rensis, journalist Alessandro De Giuseppe psychiatric assessment of Sempio’s alleged dangerousness, and former Carabinieri marshal Francesco Marchetto following a complaint by Chiara Poggi’s cousin Stefania Cappa. Attorney De Rensis also revived debate over other forensic issues. Defence lawyers argue the Vigevano parking receipt, while imprint does not match Sempio and that the defence of Stasi pledged an exhaustive review of all procedural acts. Journalist Rita Cavallaro filed nail DNA could stem from indirect contamination; a querela defence‑appointed psychiatrist has concluded Sempio shows no social dangerousness after receiving death threats. 19 years. The prosecution continues to seek independent opinions before filing an indictment expected by the end of September. Television programmes such as *Quarto Grado* and *Zona Bianca* kept keep the case in prime‑time, featuring heated debates between criminologist Roberta Bruzzone, who continues to assert maintains Stasi’s guilt, and commentators who argue the conviction is unsafe. Former Supreme Court prosecutor Oscar Cedrangolo reiterated his 2015 view that the legal basis for Stasi’s conviction remains weak. The combined forensic, legal and media developments underscore the case’s enduring controversy and the possibility of a judicial reassessment.