A 53-year-old Italian man, identified as Marco Panichi, has reportedly turned himself in to the police after stabbing his 36-year-old girlfriend, Grey Sanmartin Villalba, to d+ath in Vergiate, in the province of Varese, Italy, on Friday, October 23.
According to reports, Panichi, a plumbing technician, stabbed Grey at least 15 times, with several wounds concentrated around her neck.
After the incident, Panichi reportedly drove to his father’s apartment in another province, confessed to what had happened and subsequently surrendered to the police.
At the police station, he claimed he had acted in self-defence, saying that Grey, who was Colombian, had attacked him with a kn+fe during an argument. He also reportedly described her as extremely jealous.
Investigators found Grey’s body in the couple’s bedroom, with a kitchen kn+fe featuring a 33-centimetre blade lying nearby. A medical examiner who conducted the initial examination reportedly identified at least 15 stab wounds, many of them around her neck.
The couple had reportedly been dating for less than a year. Grey, who lived in Ancona, was separated and had two minor children, while Panichi had previously lived with another partner for about 10 years before their relationship ended.
Panichi later rented an apartment in Vergiate, where he and Grey lived together. He frequently shared pictures of their relationship on social media and reportedly changed his relationship status to “officially engaged” on July 16.
The circumstances surrounding the fatal incident are being investigated, while Panichi’s claim of self-defence remains an allegation.