VENICE – A court in Venice sentenced Filippo Turetta to life imprisonment on Tuesday for the brutal murder of his former girlfriend, Giulia Cecchettin, in a femicide case that ignited widespread outrage across Italy and sparked a national conversation on violence against women. The 22-year-old university student’s body was discovered near a lake in November 2023, a week after she went missing. Cecchettin had been stabbed multiple times. Turetta, who fled to Germany after the crime, confessed following his arrest and extradition to Italy.
While the prosecution sought the maximum penalty, the defense admitted Turetta’s guilt but appealed for leniency. The court’s verdict can still be challenged through appeal. Cecchettin’s father, Gino, and sister, Elena, have since become prominent advocates against gender-based violence. Speaking after the verdict, Gino expressed respect for the decision but emphasized the need for prevention over punishment.
“I think you don’t fight against gender violence with jail sentences, but with prevention,” he said, adding, “As soon as the verdict came, I realized that we have all lost a battle.”
Italy has seen a grim toll of femicides, with 101 women killed in 2024 as of December 1, including 53 by current or former partners. This marks a slight decrease from the 112 femicides recorded during the same period in 2023.