A man has been given a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, whose body was found concealed in garbage bags.
Filippo Turetta, 23, was found guilty of killing 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin in a case that has deeply shocked the nation of Italy. The verdict was delivered by the Assize Court of Venice on December 3.
Turetta confessed to stabbing Giulia on November 11, 2023, while they were out shopping for graduation attire. Giulia, a biomedical engineering student, went missing after being picked up by Turetta, which led to a week-long search conducted by authorities.
On November 18, Giulia’s body was discovered near a lake north of Venice. Investigators revealed she had been stabbed 75 times. Turetta was arrested in Germany the following day.
In the courtroom, Giulia’s father, Gino Cecchettin, expressed that while justice has been served, his family’s suffering continues. He stated, “Nobody is giving me Giulia back, so I feel neither more relieved nor more sad than I was yesterday.”
During the trial, it was revealed that Turetta had been harboring violent thoughts before the murder, having written out a plan outlining how he would carry out the crime. Prosecutor Andrea Petron labeled the act as “premeditated murder” and requested a life sentence for Turetta, who was also convicted of additional charges including weapon possession and hiding a body.
Giulia’s death has sparked widespread discussions about violence against women in Italy. In response to this tragic event, her family established the Giulia Cecchettin Foundation to advocate for the fight against such violence. Gino remarked on the ongoing struggle: “Of course, justice has been done, but the battle against violence against women continues. We must do more as a society.”
