SHARE
COPY LINK

CRIME

Poem leads police to man who slayed Italian student in 1987

It was one of Italy's most brutal unsolved murder cases; a 21-year-old student raped and stabbed 29 times. On Friday, an arrest was finally made - partly thanks to handwriting analysis.

Poem leads police to man who slayed Italian student in 1987
Lidia Macchi. Photo: Screengrab/Rai

After nearly 30 years, the family of a murdered student is relieved that the case may have reached a conclusion, Varese News reports

Lidia Macchi, a 21-year-old law student at the University of Milan, was raped and killed with 29 stab wounds on the evening of January 5th, 1987 in a wood close to the car park of the Cittiglio hospital in Varese, Lombardy, where she had gone to visit a friend.

On Friday morning, her alleged killer – an ex-classmate – was arrested, partly thanks to evidence given by a handwriting analyst and a confessional poem written by the man.

Stefano Binda, 48, who had been investigated in August last year, is an unemployed philosophy graduate and heroin addict who lived with his retired mother in Brebbia, close to Varese.

Police officers found diaries and “incriminating” writings in his house. One of the main pieces of evidence was a poem titled ‘In morte di un’amica’ (On the death of a friend), which describes the scene of the murder and is rife with religious imagery, including one verse in broken Latin.

A copy of the poem was sent to Macchi’s parents on the day of their daughter’s funeral. Both the poem and a sheet of paper reading “Stefano is a barbaric murderer” are allegedly in Binda's own handwriting.

The arrest order was issued by Milan Attorney General, Carmen Manfredda, who reopened and led the investigation in 2013.

A statement from the prosecutor's office said that the murder was committed “for trivial and abject reasons”.

Outlining the events of the night of the murder, the statement read: “After meeting Lidia Macchi in a car park at the Cittiglio hospital… after consummation of sexual intercourse obtained by threat and force, the suspect attacked her repeatedly, attacking her in the throat, neck and chest and, later, when the girl tried to escape, in the left thigh and the back area, with a number of stab wounds, which caused the victim numerous injuries which led to her death by anaemia and asphyxia after painful agony…”

The statement suggested that the rape and murder were carried out because Binda believed Macchi had broken a chastity vow by having sex.

Both Binda and Macchi belonged to the conservative Catholic movement, Communion and Liberation (CL). The CL logo was used to 'sign' the poem sent to Macchi's parents.

The decision to make the arrest on Friday was taken by judge Anna Giorgetti due to “flight risk”. Giorgetti also noted that “it is possible that Binda is capable of exercising pressure on witnesses, including via third parties. He is lucid, calculating, cold, and can wait with icy patience; in other words he could be dangerous.

“The evidence gathered makes the risk of repetition of offences of the same nature or other crimes highly likely.”

Macchi’s mother, Paola, spoke about the apparent resolution of the case on Rai Uno. “We’ve waited thirty years, but finally light has been shed on Lidia’s murder. The Milan prosecutor's office has worked in silence, but they’ve been working hard.”

TERRORISM

Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

Italy is on its highest-level terror alert and ministers have warned the public to be vigilant over the Easter holidays - so is there cause for concern if you're planning to travel in the country?

Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

Italian authorities agreed on Monday to increase anti-terrorism monitoring ahead of the Easter holidays, with more surveillance to be carried out at popular tourist spots and at “sensitive sites”.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had stressed to the public on Sunday that Italy faced “no concrete risk” at the moment, and said the country’s security and law enforcement services were “always on the alert to prevent any attack.”

READ ALSO: Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Nevertheless, he warned that “during the Easter holidays you will need to be very careful.”

Italy has been on its highest-level terror alert since October 2023 following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, meaning the official alert level could not be raised any further on Monday.

The plan for increased surveillance and the warnings to the public in Italy came following the terrorist attack at a concert hall in Moscow on Friday where armed men opened fire and set the building ablaze, killing at least 133 people.

Ministers said that terror plots on this scale, organised by groups, “would be intercepted sooner in Italy” and said the main terror threat Italy faced at the moment was mainly from “lone wolves”.

He was referring to the fact that recent deadly attacks in Europe have often been carried out by a single perpetrator, not affiliated to a terrorist organisation. The profile of attackers is often isolated young men who have become radicalised.

Unlike most other major European countries, Italy has not so far suffered any deadly attacks at the hands of jihadist militants.

Experts have suggested that Italy has been able to prevent attacks partly due to lessons learned from anti-mafia policing, and that it also has a lower number of citizens at risk of radicalisation than countries like the UK or France – and therefore fewer suspects to watch.

The country arrests dozens of suspects every year on terrorism charges following surveillance operations. Earlier in March, three men of Palestinian origin were arrested in the Abruzzo town of l’Aquila, alleged to be involved in an organised terror plot.

In 2023, at least 56 foreign nationals were deported from Italy after facing terror-related charges.

Italy is generally seen as being at a lower risk of being hit by a major terror attack than some neighbouring countries. So what exactly does the raised alert level mean for people in the country?

Heightened security

While much of Italy’s counter-terrorism work goes on behind the scenes, there will be increased police and military patrols over Easter in busy public places deemed “sensitive”, including shopping centres and places of worship.

The most visible manifestation of the heightened security alert in Italy is the armed soldiers on patrol outside government buildings, tourist attractions, airports, train stations, central squares and in other busy public areas.

Unlike in some other European countries, Italy’s airports do not regularly experience bomb hoaxes and other threats. While no additional security checks for passengers are being introduced, security is likely to remain tight at Italian airports this Easter, as at all European transport hubs.

If you’re visiting a major tourist attraction over Easter or attending any type of large public event, expect a high level of security at the door.

Travel advice

So far, no country has warned its nationals against visiting Italy – the US State Department still lists the alert level for Italy as Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, which has seen no change since July 2023. 

SHOW COMMENTS