“It was a nice greeting because we hugged.” This is the day of children’s testimony Pierina Paganellimurdered in Rimini on 3 October 2023 and Louis Dassilva put on trial. Giacomo Saponi was the last person to see his 78-year-old mother, shortly before she was found dead. Pria and Chiara Saponi outline a portrait of a woman who is still active, driving, present in the lives of her children and he also handles the family’s financial problems.
Chiara Saponi said, three weeks before the serious accident that left her older brother Giuliano Saponi in a coma, her wife Manuela Bianchihe had left home. “Manuela complained that we didn’t understand her and didn’t help her,” Chiara said, underlining the tensions within the family. Another witness, answering prosecutor Daniele Paci’s question, called his brother-in-law a “manipulator because he was able to divert attention to himself as the victim”. From their narrative, the family knew that Manuela had just had a romantic relationship, but did not know her identity. “Only when my mother was found murdered did we find out that the man lived in the same place as her,” said Giacomo Saponi, referring to Dassilva.
Parallel to the murder trial, related proceedings are also underway in court: Manuela Bianchi – then listed on the list of suspects – has submitted an objection to the termination of the investigation into the abuse of the accused’s wife, Valeria Bartolucci. Bartolucci was sued for defamation, threats and harassment by Bianchi, who later also added a complaint for stalking. Judge Raffaella Ceccarelli stated that she had the right to make a decision within the specified time limit, while the plaintiff’s consultants were not allowed in the trial – only the parties were allowed into the courtroom.
