The investigation into the death of Pierina Paganelli, the 78-year-old killed on the evening of October 3 in the garage of her condominium in via dei Ciclamini in Rimini, has reached a significant turning point. Today, investigators served Louis Dassilva, a 35-year-old Senegalese and neighbor of the victim, with a warning. The man, who was summoned to the police station in the afternoon together with his wife Valeria Bartolucci, is now officially under investigation for the woman’s murder. After eight months of investigations, the deputy prosecutor then informed the 35-year-old that his position has worsened and now technical investigations will be carried out, including the comparison of the DNA taken from the crime scene, from the victim’s body and on various objects.
Doubts about the alibi
The exams will be carried out in the presence of his lawyer, Riario Fabbri, and a technical consultant chosen by the defence. Roberta Bruzzone, the well-known criminologist and forensic psychologist, who has been commenting on the case in the media for some time, was appointed for this last role. The crime, which occurred on the night of October 3, had shocked the Rimini community due to the brutality of the murder: Pierina was killed with 29 stab wounds in the garage under her house, after returning from a meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Louis Dassilva’s position is particularly delicate and will largely depend on the declarations of his wife Valeria, who represents, in fact, the man’s alibi for the evening of the crime. Valeria has always maintained that, at the time of the murder – 10.15pm – she was in bed while Louis was on the sofa, stating that she would have heard if her husband had left the house. However, at the exact moment of the crime, Valeria was not with him.
Suspicions about relationships and Jehovah’s Witnesses
During the investigations, it emerged that Dassilva had a relationship with Manuela Bianchi, daughter-in-law of the victim and wife of Giuliano Saponi, who on the day of the murder was hospitalized following a serious road accident. Manuela and Louis saw each other secretly because she risked expulsion from the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The day Pierina was found dead, Manuela’s fate within the religious community should have been decided at the Temple. Investigators believe the murder may be linked to the secret relationship between Manuela and Louis, further fueling suspicions about Dassilva’s guilt. The whole affair appears complex and steeped in intricate personal connections between Valeria, Manuela and Louis, with investigators speculating that these relationships may have played a crucial role in Pierina Paganelli’s murder.
