[REVISION HISTORY]

Pietracatella ricin murders: homicide investigation updates

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2026-10-28 05:32 UTC → 2026-10-31 13:31 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The investigation into the December 2025 ricin poisoning deaths of Antonella Di Ielsi and her 15-year-old daughter, Sara Di Vita, has shifted toward a focus on premeditated double homicide. Critical evidence from the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin suggests the presence of ricin traces in 131 samples of clothing, furniture, and household items. Pathologist Benedetta De Luca noted that no food residue was found in the victims' stomachs, only blood, following repeated vomiting. Furthermore, the amount of ricin detected was 140 times the minimum lethal dose, a concentration investigators suggest is “frankly” inconsistent with accidental ingestion. Recent developments have expanded the digital forensic scope. Authorities are analyzing electronic devices, including a Lenovo computer and ten USB drives seized from the professional offices of Gianni Di Vita, the former mayor of Pietracatella. Investigators are also conducting a major forensic operation targeting approximately 155 computers across four schools in the Molise region to identify searches related to ricin synthesis or preparation. This includes examining Reddit posts from 2025 and 2026 and tracing an IP address in the United States that reportedly conducted searches on preparing ricin powder, which coincides with the Pietracatella area. While Gianni Di Vita is currently questioned as a witness rather than a suspect, he has admitted to prosecutors that he was unfaithful to his wife, providing a potential motive. Although Larino prosecutor Elvira Antonelli has dismissed theories that the poisoning was intended to target Di Vita specifically, investigators continue to explore various personal vendettas. ~~Meanwhile, the Robert Koch Institute has requested a 30-day extension for food sample analysis, with official results not expected until late December. Police~~ New investigative efforts are ~~also attempting to trace~~ focusing on the disposal of food scraps, specifically a container of ~~mussels, from~~ mussels eaten during the victims' final meal. Campobasso police have questioned a local waste collection worker to trace the disposal path of organic waste from December 24, 2025, though conflicting accounts regarding the timing of the disposal have emerged.

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