Young Sicilian woman killed in broad daylight by stalker

The execution of a young Sicilian pistillate by a stalker successful wide daylight has sent shockwaves crossed Italy, wherever 11 women person been killed since the commencement of the year.

University pupil Sara Campanella, 22, was killed by an acquaintance connected Monday day successful the Sicilian metropolis of Messina.

Witnesses told media that they saw a antheral - aboriginal identified by prosecutors arsenic 27-year-old Stefano Argentino - locomotion up to Ms Campanella and stab her connected the street. She tried to get distant and screamed "Stop it, fto maine go, halt it," earlier collapsing, they said.

A passer-by who reportedly heard Ms Campanella's screams tried to pursuit the attacker, who managed to flee.

Ms Campanella died connected her mode to the hospital. Mr Argentino was arrested a fewer hours aboriginal successful the adjacent municipality of Noto.

Raffaele Leone, Mr Argentino's lawyer, told Italian media connected Wednesday that his lawsuit had admitted the charges against him, but had not explained wherefore helium had attacked her.

"I can't accidental if he's remorseful, he's rather closed up," Mr Leone was quoted by Ansa quality bureau arsenic saying.

The Messina prosecutor, Antonio D'Amato, said that Stefano Argentino had "insistently and repeatedly" harassed Sara Campanella since she started assemblage 2 years ago. She was studying to go a biomedical technician.

One of her friends erstwhile had to intervene erstwhile Mr Argentino kept complaining that Ms Campanella nary longer smiled astatine him, Mr D'Amato said.

But helium added that Ms Campanella ne'er went to the constabulary arsenic she did not consciousness that Mr Argentino's attentions were peculiarly "threatening oregon pathological".

In the constabulary detention bid quoted by Italian media, prosecutors said that Mr Argentino had been "regularly pestering the victim, asking her to spell retired with him and get to cognize each different better, and refusing to backmost down adjacent erstwhile she would crook him down".

Mr D'Amato said that, soon earlier being stabbed, Ms Campanella sent a connection to immoderate friends, telling them that "that sick feline is pursuing me".

Writing connected Facebook, Ms Campanella's parent said that her girl "bravely thought her 'No' would beryllium capable due to the fact that [Stefano Argentino] meant thing to her, they weren't together, she conscionable wanted him to permission her alone, she wanted to unrecorded and imagination and graduate.

"You ever request to talk up and spell to the police! Help maine springiness Sara a voice," she said.

In an affectional interrogation to Italian TV, Ms Campanella's member said that unrequited emotion oregon attraction could ne'er beryllium a crushed for "act similar this one".

"There are nary justifications, and idiosyncratic similar him doesn't adjacent merit words."

The begetter of Giulia Cecchettin, who was besides 22 erstwhile she was killed by her ex-boyfriend, told Italian paper La Repubblica that determination are "entire generations of men who don't judge rejection".

"Love is not possession, jealousy is not love, and saying 'No' is simply a right. In Sara's lawsuit determination hadn't adjacent been a relationship," Mr Cecchettin said.

"Women proceed to beryllium killed by those who don't judge their rejection. We request to marque an bonzer effort, a corporate enactment of rebellion... against this civilization of death," said Mara Carfagna, a erstwhile curate and lawmaker.

The contented of unit against women is keenly felt successful Italy, wherever femicides are often reported by the media. Last period alone, 4 women died astatine the hands of their partners oregon ex-partners.

On Wednesday, little than 48 hours aft her death, Sara Campanella's execution was pushed retired of the headlines by quality that the assemblage of 22-year-old Ilaria Sula had been recovered successful a suitcase successful Rome.

The assemblage pupil had gone missing past week. According to Italian media, her ex-boyfriend has confessed to her murder.