A court in Rome sentenced 47-year-old American citizen Francis Kaufmann to life in prison for the murder of his Russian partner and their 11-month-old daughter. He was also found guilty of concealing their bodies. Kaufmann denies the charges.
The bodies of the 28-year-old woman and the child were discovered in June 2025 in Rome’s Villa Pamphili park. Neither victim had identification documents, and police initially had no information about their identities. An investigation into a double murder was launched, the Associated Press reported.
After the crime, Kaufmann left Italy and went to the Greek island of Skiathos. He was later arrested and extradited to Italy, where he stood trial. Prosecutors accused him of killing his partner and their child, then abandoning their bodies in the park. The Italian court found him guilty and imposed the harshest possible sentence, Reuters reported.
Kaufmann denies committing the murders
The American also used the name Rexal Ford. At the beginning of the trial, he told the court: “I have nothing to do with the murders.” Throughout the proceedings, Kaufmann maintained that he was not the person responsible for the deaths of the woman and the child.
According to CNN, the court found him guilty of double murder and concealing bodies. The sentence includes life imprisonment and three years in isolation. His lawyer said the decision would likely be appealed.
Film project worth nearly $1 million
The case attracted further attention because Kaufmann presented himself as a film producer. He managed to obtain nearly $1 million in Italian tax credits for a film that was never made. The scandal led to the resignation of the head of the film department at Italy’s Ministry of Culture, the Associated Press reported.
Following the sentencing, the case may proceed to the next level of court if the defense files an appeal.
Sources: apnews.com, investing.com, abc7news.com