Giovanni Padovani, a former Italian footballer, was sentenced to 51 years imprisonment for the gruesome murder of his ex-girlfriend.
He was found guilty of multi-aggravated voluntary homicide for killing Alessandra Matteuzzi, 56, outside her home in Bologna on August 23, 2022.
Padovani, who played for a lower-league team in Senigallia, had a turbulent relationship with Matteuzzi, who was over three decades his senior.
After they ended their relationship, he became infatuated with her and pursued her for months.
Padovani used a hammer and an iron bench to beat Matteuzzi on the day of the murder, resulting in a fatal brain haemorrhage. He was detained shortly after the crime, and he later confessed to the police.
During the trial, he claimed he was not lucid at the time of the incident and requested a psychiatric evaluation, which the court denied.
The prosecution requested the highest penalty for the former player, claiming that the murder was premeditated, motivated by pointless reasons, and exacerbated by the victim’s emotional ties to the perpetrator.
The defence attempted to portray Padovani as a troubled young man who behaved rashly and regretted his conduct.
The judge issued the verdict on February 12, 2024: 51 years of life in jail without the possibility of parole.
Padovani admitted his guilt and penalty. Matteuzzi’s sister, who witnessed the incident over the phone, was present at the trial.
