Serena Mollicone murder, appeal process reopened: 44 witnesses will be heard

There is an important innovation in the tied appeal process to the murder of Serena Molliconethe young woman from Arce, in the province of Frosinone, found dead in 2001. The judges of the Court of Assizes of Rome, in fact, decided to reopen the proceedings by accepting the request of the Attorney General who also proposed to listen to the testimonies of 44 people.

The decisions of the Court of Assizes

More than a year ago, in the first instance trial of July 2022, the Cassino court had dismantled the charges for the five accused, namely the Carabinieri Marshal Franco Mottola, his wife Annamaria and their son Marco, all accused of murder, as well as for the lieutenant Vincenzo Quatrale, accused of complicity in murder and for the arrested person Francesco Suprano, accused of aiding and abetting. In the second degree, the Roman Assize Court has chosen, in the hearing scheduled for 20 November, to listen to all the parties’ consultants and then, based on what emerges, also any witnesses. Among those indicated by the prosecution is lieutenant Gabriele Tersigni, former commander of the Fontana Liri carabinieri station, to whom Brigadier Santino Tuzi, who committed suicide in 2008, had handed over his revelations after interrogations carried out in the same year. Tuzi, in particular, said he had seen Serena Mollicone entering the barracks on the morning of June 1, 2001, the day on which the same 18-year-old disappeared, only to be found lifeless in the Fonte Cupa woods, near Anitrella. According to the prosecution, the testimony of the former brigadier would be particularly significant also considering that, in the first instance trial, the judges had chosen not to involve him.

Comments after the decision

“I’m happy, very happy. In fact, we hope that much more light will be shed, why have any preclusions? We are happy, very happy.” These are the words of Antonio Mollicone, Serena’s uncle, while Sandro Salera, lawyer of Serena’s sister, Consuelo, remarked that “the reopening of a trial is not so frequent”. But this happened because, as it seems, “the Court wants to understand the reliability” relating to the first instance sentence.