ROME / SKIATHOS — An American man was detained Friday on the Greek island of Skiathos in connection with the deaths of a woman and an infant girl whose bodies were discovered days apart in a popular Rome park. Italian authorities suspect the case to be a double homicide.
The man, whose identity has not been publicly released, was detained on a European arrest warrant issued by Italy. He is expected to face an extradition hearing next week, according to Greek police.
The Victims and Circumstances
The victims — a woman believed to be around 30 years old and a baby girl — were found dead in Rome’s Villa Pamphili park. The woman’s body was discovered on Saturday, hidden under a black bag. The infant’s body was found several hundred meters away, in nearby undergrowth.
Both bodies were naked and carried no identification, Rome’s chief prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi said. The woman’s cause of death remains undetermined, but prosecutors said there is reasonable suspicion that both deaths constitute a double murder.
Witnesses had seen the suspect with a woman and baby in the days prior. They were believed to be traveling as a family unit, speaking English and frequenting a homeless shelter near the Vatican, according to Corriere della Sera.
Suspicious Behavior and Flight
Prosecutors expressed alarm that the man left Italy without alerting authorities or seeking help, even after carrying the deceased infant in his arms.
“It is not exactly understandable that someone who was with a woman and a baby girl… would then leave the country without calling for help,” said Lo Voi. “In itself, that doesn’t look good.”
Police were able to trace the suspect using cellphone data and fingerprints found on the bag that concealed the woman’s body. A scrap of tent material, likely from a homeless shelter distribution, also aided the investigation.
The woman had a distinctive tattoo of a skeleton riding a surfboard, a detail that may help in her formal identification. The exact nature of her relationship with the suspect remains unclear.
Ongoing Investigation
The American man fled Italy for Greece on Wednesday. His formal arrest is pending the processing of the Italian warrant by Greek officials. He is currently in temporary custody in Skiathos.
As authorities work to determine how the woman and baby died — and the full scope of the suspect’s role — Italian and Greek officials continue to collaborate under the terms of the European extradition framework.
The tragic case has shocked Rome residents and raised broader questions about the vulnerabilities faced by transient or homeless individuals traveling through Europe.
