Investigation into death of Ornella Forastefano

Ornella Forastefano, a 46-year-old woman, died after being found with severe injuries outside the Trebisacce hospital in the Cosenza province. Medical staff attempted emergency care, but she succumbed to multiple traumas, including injuries to her face and the back of her head.

Authorities identified the victim’s partner, 42-year-old Elvis Metvelaj (also identified as Elvis Bisho), an Albanian national with a history of drug-related offenses, as the primary suspect. Metvelaj was detained by Carabinieri at the port of Bari while allegedly attempting to flee the country.

A judicial ordinance regarding the death has since detailed a pattern of extreme violence and obsessive jealousy. Investigators characterized the homicide as an expression of ‘prevarication, control, and possession of the victim as a woman.’ While the suspect claimed the victim had fallen down stairs, a judge noted that evidence suggests a brutal assault occurred earlier, possibly in a rural or wooded area, as soil and dry leaves were found in the victim's hair.

Autopsy results from the Dulbecco Hospital-University Center in Catanzaro confirmed extensive trauma and numerous injuries consistent with a violent attack. Furthermore, security footage showed the victim experiencing significant motor difficulties while traveling with the suspect, supporting the theory that the assault had already taken place prior to their arrival at the hospital. The Prosecutor’s Office of Castrovillari continues to examine the case as a potential femicide.