NEARLY two decades after the brutal murder of Chiara Poggi, a new hair-raising theory has surfaced, causing Italian police to reopen her case.
After the 26-year-old office worker was found dead in her Garlasco home in 2007, her murder became one of Italy‘s most scrutinised investigations.
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Chiara Poggi, 26, was found murdered in her home 19 years ago Credit: Alamy
Italian police have reopened the infamous case, accusing Andrea Sempio of her murder Credit: Alamy
Now, the case has been reopened after 19 years, as prosecutors reveal they believe a new suspect could be responsible for the young woman’s death.
Andrea Sempio – a friend of Poggi’s brother – was called in for questioning by police, reviving old concerns over the failures of the Italian justice system.
In 2015, Alberto Stasi – Poggi’s student boyfriend – was convicted of her murder and sentenced to 16 years behind bars.
He has remained locked up ever since.
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Poggi’s boyfriend Alberto Stasi was previously convicted and locked up for the crime Credit: Alamy
Stasi found her dead body in her Garlasco home nearly 20 years ago Credit: Splash
The sentencing put an end to the tragic story that had captivated the Italian public.
With prosecutors investigating this new line of inquiry, Stasi – who is edging closer to the end of his sentence – could be exonerated of the crime altogether.
In a bombshell move, prosecutors have asked for his conviction to be overturned.
On Wednesday, Sempio was summoned to speak with police, who have since revealed they believe he could be solely responsible for Poggi’s demise.
Police allege Sempio killed the economics graduate after she rejected his sexual advances.
He has been formally charged with voluntary manslaughter and aggravating circumstances of cruelty, where he allegedly killed Poggi by striking her head and face with a blunt object at least 12 times.
Sempio has denied all accusations.
He was met by a scrum of reporters outside the police station in the city of Pavia, where his arrival was live streamed to televisions all over the country.
According to his lawyers, Sempio exercised his legal right not to respond to the investigators.
The new revelations have raised the possibility that one of Italy‘s most infamous murders could have a completely different ending.
Veteran Italian journalist Gianni Riotta, who has followed the case since it came into the spotlight in 2007 explained the sad reason behind the high public interest.
“(The case) has captivated Italy because the whole thing was clearly a travesty of justice,” Riotta said.
The former head of state broadcaster RAI’s flagship news programme called the trial “a circus”.
“There were so many holes in the case, and yet they got a conviction,” he told Reuters.
Poggi’s killing has been likened to the case surrounding the infamous 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, where the two prime suspects – Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito – were at first convicted, but later acquitted and released on appeal.
Both cases revolved around disputed DNA evidence.
They also highlighted perceived failures in the police procedures.
In 2007, Stasi was the one to call police after he discovered Poggi’s body.
Soon after, he was the center of the police investigation and was later charged, with authorities claiming his shoes were too clean for someone who had just found a body.
They said he must have washed his shoes after murdering her.
And cops said Poggi must have known her attacker, as she opened her door to them while wearing pyjamas.
Stasi never confessed to the killing and the murder weapon was never found.
Cops were also unable to establish any clear motive and largely relied on forensic traces and disputed timelines surrounding Stasi’s movements on the morning of Poggi’s death.
He was twice acquitted, first in a trial and then again when prosecutors appealed.
But after Italy’s top court ordered a retrial, he was convicted and locked up.
Stasi has always maintained his innocence.
The case divided Italy over whether or not he was truly guilty.
Just 11 years later, a new team of prosecutors has bust the case wide open with fresh forensic work.
The results have raised questions, including a renewed focus on male DNA found beneath Poggi’s fingernails.
Investigators say the DNA is compatible with Sempio.
He was previously cleared in prior investigations and has always denied involvement in her murder.
Cops are looking into allegations that Sempio’s family also paid for a prosecutor to remove his name from the list of suspects.
The family has also denied this accusation.
“People here keep on saying Italy has the best justice system in the world. Well, if that is true, how come we have ended up with this mess,” Riotta said.
Giada Bocellari – one of Stasi’s lawyers – has also spoken out about the case, saying: “This is definitely a unique case in Italy” .
“Now we’re waiting for the investigation to conclude and to get the complete picture of [all the evidence] regarding Sempio so that we can, above all, see if there are any elements that definitively remove Stasi from the crime,” Bocellari said.
“We are being prudent … but this could potentially be the most serious miscarriage of justice ever committed in Italy.
“As far as I know, it is the first time a [murder] investigation has been reopened with a convicted person in prison.”
Described as the “delitto di Garlasco”, or Garlasco murder, the case and all its twists and turns captivated the Italian public for years, dominating crime talkshows and, more recently, podcasts.
Poggi’s family has so far been against the reopening of the case.
“The Poggi family is completely aligned with the Italian justice system, in that the final verdict is that Stasi is the culprit,” said Gianluca Zanella, a journalist and author of a book about the case, Nel Sangue di Garlasco.
“They are sceptical about new investigations.”
