Italian prosecutor seeks life term for US man accused of double murder

An Italian prosecutor ​requested a life sentence ​on Monday for a ‌US ​citizen accused of murdering his partner and their 13-month-old daughter, whose bodies ‌were discovered last year in a park in central Rome. The suspect, identified as Francis Kaufmann, was arrested on the Greek island ‌of Skiathos on June 13, 2025, a week ‌after the two bodies were found in Villa Pamphili, based on evidence including witness testimony and surveillance footage.

Kaufmann, who also used the alias ⁠Rexal ​Ford, is ⁠on trial for double homicide. Prosecutor Antonio Verdi asked the court to sentence ⁠him to life imprisonment, with three years of daytime solitary confinement. The ​prosecutor described Kaufmann as manipulative and narcissistic but did ⁠not explain what motive investigators believed lay behind the killings.

A lawyer for ⁠Kaufmann ​did not immediately respond to a request for comment. During the trial, Kaufmann — who is being held ⁠in a Rome jail — maintained his innocence. A first-instance verdict is ⁠expected on ⁠November 5. Under Italian law, defendants are entitled to two levels of appeal.