Perverted idealism and moral duty in an Italian terrorist: A criminological and medical-forensic case study Lorenzo Franceschetti, Palmina Caruso, Isabella Merzagora Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 2026 The concept of secular terrorism concerns not only criminal activities but also the moral reasoning processes that allow individuals to legitimize violence and morally reprehensible acts. Drawing from criminological and forensic psychology theories and through a life-narrative interview with a former Italian militant, this research explores how ideals, when distorted, can lead to extreme acts of violence. The study begins by highlighting the strategies proposed by criminologists which allow individuals to commit crimes while maintaining a sense of moral legitimacy. A central focus of this research is perverted idealism. The diverse nature of perverted ideals within different extremist movements is explored through the incorporation of insights from an interview with a former militant. From a forensic perspective, the case provides insight into the assessment of ideological offenders, helping to distinguish ideological motivation from psychopathological compulsion and to understand how moral absolutism shapes criminal accountability. The narrative reveals the complex interplay of personal beliefs, duty, and political motivations that fueled actions and highlights the lasting impact of perverted idealism. The study concludes by emphasizing the role of injustice as a fundamental motivator for terrorism and criminal acts. Individuals often perceive themselves as champions of justice, even when their actions result in violence. This research sheds light on the intricate relationship between ideals, justice, and the darker aspects of human behavior, urging us to consider the profound consequences of perverted idealism in society. • Perverted idealism frames violence as a duty, not only as guilt-neutralized wrongdoing. • A life-narrative case illustrates duty-based moralization in secular terrorism. • The case informs medico-legal appraisal of ideology versus psychopathology. • Narrative markers may support risk formulation and rehabilitation planning.
Forensic entomotoxicology: Where are we going? 30 years in a review Bianca Beltrame, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Giorgia Lodetti, Luca Manelli, Andrea Verzeletti, Valentina Bugelli Legal Medicine, 2026 Forensic entomotoxicology, which was first mentioned in a publication in 1994, focuses on the detection of drugs and toxins in necrophagous insects to provide valuable information in a variety of areas. This discipline faces fundamental limitations as its findings are often not easily transferable to practical contexts, thereby necessitating a case-specific approach for effective application. To overcome these challenges, a systematic review of scientific literature available on 31 December 2024 was conducted in order to summarise strengths and weaknesses of forensic entomotoxicology in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. After 81 relevant sources were selected, four main lines of research in entomotoxicology were identified: 1) effects of exogenous substances on larvae and, consequently, how the estimated minPMI (minimum Post-Mortem Interval) should be adjusted, 2) identification of cause of death, 3) study of the impact of exogenous substances on the environment using larval masses and 4) possible methods for analysing larvae to identify the substances they contain. Overall, findings are heterogeneous and sometimes contradictory, indicating that exogenous substances can influence larval development and be detected in entomological samples, but in ways that are strongly species-, substance- and context-dependent and not yet robust enough for straightforward extrapolation to casework. By critically synthesising these issues, this review clarifies the main strengths and recurring limitations of forensic entomotoxicology and indicates when its use may be informative, when it should be interpreted with caution, and which methodological issues need to be addressed in future research.
Response to Leković and Nikolić Alberto Amadasi, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Larissa Amadasi, Lars Oesterhelweg Forensic Science Medicine and Pathology, 2026
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Putrefied Corpses: A Difficult Diagnosis Francesco Gabrielli, Francesco Calabrò, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Silvio Chericoni, Valentina Bugelli Forensic Sciences, 2026 Background. Determining the cause and manner of death in scenes involving multiple and putrified bodies found in the same environment is a real challenge for forensic pathologists. While common scenarios include fires, vehicle crashes, and natural disasters, one of the most common causes is drug intoxication or poisoning, and the scene must be carefully evaluated based on circumstantial evidence. Carbon monoxide (CO) (also called “the silent killer”) remains one of the leading agents capable of producing simultaneous fatalities. In multi-body scenes, distinguishing between homicide–suicide, double suicide, and accidental deaths adds further complexity. The aim of this study is to highlight the limitations of toxicological and pathological investigations in advanced putrefaction and to emphasize the role of scene investigation in the interpretation of suspected CO-related deaths. Methods. The authors report a case of suspected CO intoxication involving two bodies in an advanced stage of decomposition recovered from the same room. The scene investigation, coupled with the presence of a malfunctioning combustion source, raised suspicion of CO exposure; however, analytical interpretation was severely constrained by the altered condition of biological samples. Results. Advanced decomposition magnifies these challenges. Putrefactive changes can mimic traumatic injuries, hide hypostasis, and compromise both macroscopic and microscopic evaluations due to autolysis and gas formation. Toxicological investigations are frequently hindered by the degradation or absence of key biological matrices such as blood, cavity fluids, or vitreous humor, rendering carboxyhaemoglobin quantification unreliable or impossible. These limitations may lead to incorrect medico-legal conclusions. Conclusions. Determining the cause and manner of death in complex multi-body scenes requires careful evaluation of circumstantial evidence and scene investigation, particularly when advanced decomposition compromises biological analyses and toxicological interpretation.
Bone Marrow as a Source of DNA in Forensic Genetics: An Optimized Nucleic Acids Extraction Protocol Mattia Porcu, Noemi Argirò, Venusia Cortellini, Antonio De Luca, Camilla Tettamanti, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Francesco Ventura, Andrea Verzeletti Genes, 2026 Background: low-quantity or degraded samples are often studied in forensic genetics. Therefore, it is important to efficiently obtain all the available DNA from the biological sample analyzed to provide the most reliable results. This is particularly challenging in bone marrow processing due to its hydrophobic molecular structure, as for other lipid-rich tissues, especially if rancid. In fact, during adipose tissue decomposition, the putrefaction of fatty acids can in some instances give a compact cerous consistency to the lipidic tissue, hardly susceptible to the nucleic acid extraction mechanisms. According to environmental circumstances, this condition is notably observable in submerged bodies or in putrefied bone marrow. Thus, this study is focused on developing an optimized nucleic acids extraction protocol for putrefied bone marrow. Methods: genetic analyses were performed on putrefied yellow bone marrow collected from 20 human femora recovered from bodies in different decomposition stages. The optimized method was developed by integrating additional steps, reagents and time intervals on a silica-based column commercial kit. This strategy was compared in DNA yield to a standard extraction protocol, represented by the same commercial kit, but following the manufacturer’s directions. Both these strategies were tested in nucleic acid isolation efficiency by performing DNA typing, including real-time PCR quantification, Short Tandem Repeats (STR) amplification and fragments analysis steps. The analytical parameters evaluated were allele count, DNA concentration (ng/µL) and Degradation Index (DI). Results: for allele count and DNA concentration parameters, the optimized protocol showed clear and significant qualitative and quantitative improvements compared with the standard protocol, supporting its potential applicability in forensic casework and laying the foundation for future studies. Conclusions: prior to appropriate laboratory internal validation, the optimized protocol can be used for tough lipid-rich tissues processing without the need to purchase a dedicated system and using a same commercial kit routinely adopted for other forensic genetics matrices.
Medico-legal identification of unidentified bodies and missing persons in Milan and Paris: a comparative institutional study Lorenzo Franceschetti, Tania Delabarde, Debora Mazzarelli, Cecilia Siccardi, Annalisa D’Apuzzo, Danilo De Angelis, Marilisa D’Amico, Ilaria Viarengo, Bertrand Ludes, Cristina Cattaneo Scientific Reports, 2025 The challenges and methodologies associated with reporting missing persons and identifying unidentified bodies, including migrants and domestic deaths, widely vary worldwide. This comparative study delves into the medico-legal practices and legislative frameworks in Italy and France, specifically focusing on the cities of Milan and Paris and highlights the disparities and similarities in the processes and legislative environments of both countries. The ultimate aim is to propose improvements to existing methods and advocate for a more unified approach within Europe, recognizing the shared challenges and the need for concerted efforts in upholding the dignity of the deceased and providing closure for affected families. This study uses Milan and Paris as case examples to highlight the need for improved interconnectivity and procedural alignment in forensic identification across national and European jurisdictions, potentially anchored in internationally recognized frameworks, such as INTERPOL's Disaster Victim Identification protocol. This work indeed reveals that, while national and regional systems are in place for managing these cases, there are significant limitations in terms of interconnectivity, resource allocation, and management of data. The effectiveness of these systems, considering the high number of cases in large cities and the different scientific, administrative and legal variables involved is then discussed. The paper also provides a detailed analysis of the medico-legal procedures and the involvement of multiple professional disciplines in the identification process, emphasizing the multi-faceted nature of this work. The importance of collaborative strategies and shared practices at a supranational level to address the complex challenges in identifying missing persons and unknown bodies is underlined. The findings from Milan and Paris serve as a microcosm to understand broader patterns, offering insights that could inform global practices.
Towards a standard of scientific evidence in on-site inspection: compilation of the ECLM on-site inspection form in a broad case history Jessika Camatti, Anna Laura Santunione, Monica Bolognini, Denis Cusack, Stefania Zerbo, Antonina Argo, Maria Puntarello, Giovanni Scalzo, Fattorini Paolo, Tommaso Bruscagin, Lorenzo Desinan, Laura Battistig, Fabrizio Tosku, Guido Viel, Giorgia Franchetti, Biagio Solarino, Laura Ambrosi, Giovanni Cecchetto, Silvia Damiana Visonà, Emanuele Sala, Antonio Oliva, Giulia Mercuri, Elena Sofia Oliveri, Paolo Fais, Sara Lippi, Simone Bianchini, Umberto Genovese, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Alessio Asmundo, Elvira Ventura Spagnolo, Giorgia Burrascano, Andrea Verzeletti, Federica Attico, Valentino Sarallo, Isabella Aquila, Matteo Antonio Sacco, Saverio Gualtieri, Giuseppe Mammola, Alessia Attanasi, Davide Mario Pingaro, Vilma Pinchi, Martina Focardi, Francesco Ventura, Isabella Caristo, Nicolò Vernazza, Claudia Casella, Gaetano Di Donna, Mariagrazia Marisei, Carlo Pietro Campobasso, Alessandro Feola, Paolo Palermo, Valentina Bugelli, Kiti Doci, Mario Picozzi, Matteo Burlando, Federico Vecchio, Mario Gabbrielli, Francesco Baldari, Rossana Cecchi Legal Medicine, 2025 The European Council of Legal Medicine (ECLM) on-site inspection form allows the collection of data relevant to the identification, collection, sampling and preservation of all elements that, during the on-site inspection, may be useful as forensic evidence. The aim of this study is to assess the completeness of the information collected in a large number of on-site inspections, the records of which were drawn up without the use of the ECLM on-site inspection form, in order to verify the usefulness and the application of this form. The authors present a multicentre study involving 20 Italian forensic medicine institutes. For each institute, the reports of on-site inspections carried out without the use of the ECLM on-site inspection form were collected and a forensic pathologist was asked to analyse the individual cases and to identify, for each case, the presence or absence of information regarding all the points examined by the ECLM on-site inspection form. A practical database was prepared and sent to each institute for this analysis. Data were collected and analysed from a total of 1721 on-site inspection reports. Our results document that certain items on the ECLM on-site inspection form are not always investigated in reports written without the use of this tool. The use of the ECLM on-site inspection form proves to be a valid tool to assist the forensic pathologist during the on-site inspection. We therefore hope that the forms developed by the ECLM will be systematically adopted in the forensic practice of the forensic pathologist.
A nationwide forensic case-series of femicides in Italy – Part 1: Clues to the motives of the murder Rossana Cecchi, Anna Laura Santunione, Jessika Camatti, Alice Buzzelli, Alessandra De Martina, Alessandra Sannella, Marco Vinceti, Graziamaria Corbi, Carlo Pietro Campobasso, Matilde Sassani, Giovanna Laura De Fazio, Paolo Fais, Susi Pelotti, Arianna Giorgetti, Elena Lacchè, Andrea Verzeletti, Bianca Beltrame, Riccardo Zoia, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Giulia Vignali, Carlo Moreschi, Lorenzo Desinan, Ugo Da Broi, Georgia Zara, Sarah Gino, Valentina Bugelli, Simone Balduini, Debora Ginocchio, Elisabetta Lubian, Antonietta Porzio, Federica Cascone, Guido Viel, Francesco Angiola, Francesco Introna, Sara Sablone, Mariagrazia Calvano, Francesco Ausania, Luca-Maria Solari, Alessio Asmundo, Elvira Ventura Spagnolo, Gennaro Baldino, Silvia Damiana Visonà, Sofia Bodini, Emanuela Turillazzi, Mario Gabbrielli, Alice Bacchio, Antonina Argo, Ginevra Malta, Ernesto D’Aloja, Roberto Demontis, Camilla Gozzelino, Jessica Sanna, Raffaele Giorgetti, Federica Bora, Francesco Ventura, Isabella Caristo, Antonio Oliva, Giulia Mercuri, Cristoforo Pomara, Monica Salerno, Luigi Cipolloni, Vilma Pinchi, Martina Focardi, Luigi Tonino Marsella, Michele Treglia, Isabella Aquila, Matteo Antonio Sacco, Rosamaria Gaudio, Margherita Neri, Raffaella Marino Legal Medicine, 2025 Understanding the motives behind femicides is crucial to design effective prevention strategies and to support women's self-determination, free from threats to their mental and physical integrity. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter forensic study involving 27 Italian Institutes of Legal Medicine, analyzing 1238 female homicides (1950-2023). Cases were classified as femicide or non-femicide female homicide according to the medico-legal definition of femicide as the murder due to the failure to recognize women's right to self-determination. Motives were categorized into 12 groups, and relevant anamnestic and circumstantial data were collected. Of the 1238 cases, 410 were identified as femicides, 395 as non-femicides, and 433 were excluded for insufficient information. Femicides were most frequently driven by jealousy/rejection (n = 185; 45.1 %) and separation/divorce (n = 144; 35.1 %), often in the context of intimate partner violence or inability to accept the end of a relationship. Non-femicides were predominantly associated with the perpetrator's psychiatric disorder and/or drug addiction (n = 126; 31.9 %), violent aggression without gender-related motive (n = 69; 17.5 %), victim's illness (n = 63; 15.9 %), or economic reasons (n = 58; 14.7 %). In the Italian context, most femicides stem from relational dynamics - particularly jealousy, rejection, and separation - whereas non-femicides are more often linked to psychiatric illness, substance abuse, or non-gender-related aggression. Incorporating these findings into clinical risk assessment protocols, especially in emergency and primary care settings, may help identify women at high risk and guide targeted prevention strategies.
A nationwide forensic case-series of femicides in Italy – Part 2: Clues to its epidemiology, prediction and prevention Rossana Cecchi, Jessika Camatti, Anna Laura Santunione, Marco Vinceti, Tommaso Filippini, Riccardo Mazzoli, Alice Buzzelli, Alessandra De Martina, Graziamaria Corbi, Carlo Pietro Campobasso, Alessandra Sannella, Paolo Fais, Susi Pelotti, Arianna Giorgetti, Elena Lacchè, Andrea Verzeletti, Bianca Beltrame, Riccardo Zoia, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Giulia Vignali, Carlo Moreschi, Lorenzo Desinan, Ugo Da Broi, Georgia Zara, Sarah Gino, Valentina Bugelli, Simone Balduini, Silvia Pascari, Virginia Tordoni, Antonietta Porzio, Federica Cascone, Guido Viel, Giorgia Franchetti, Francesco Introna, Sara Sablone, Mariagrazia Calvano, Francesco Ausania, Luca-Maria Solari, Alessio Asmundo, Elvira Ventura Spagnolo, Gennaro Baldino, Giovanni Cecchetto, Chiara Franzetti, Emanuela Turillazzi, Mario Gabbrielli, Francesco Baldari, Flavio Pertosa, Antonina Argo, Ginevra Malta, Ernesto D’Aloja, Roberto Demontis, Matteo Nioi, Jessica Sanna, Raffaele Giorgetti, Loredana Buscemi, Mariasole Fede, Francesco Ventura, Isabella Caristo, Antonio Oliva, Giulia Mercuri, Giorgia Guarnieri, Cristoforo Pomara, Monica Salerno, Francesco Sessa, Luigi Cipolloni, Vilma Pinchi, Martina Focardi, Luigi Tonino Marsella, Michele Treglia, Isabella Aquila, Matteo Antonio Sacco, Rosamaria Gaudio, Margherita Neri, Raffaella Marino Legal Medicine, 2025 • Femicide is a growing medico-legal and public health concern. • Overkilling and injury to identity/erogenous zones common in femicide. • Dose response link found between lesion count and femicide likelihood. • Results highlight patterns relevant for forensic classification and prevention. • Standardization of medico-legal indicators is needed for comparability. Femicides are grievous, but little is known about risk factors and preventive measures. We present the results of a study conducted across 27 Italian Forensic Institutes. We analyzed 1,238 cases of female homicide and, adopting the definition of femicide as the murder due to the failure to recognize women’s right to self-determination, we identified 410 cases as femicides and 395 as non-femicides Current partners were identified as aggressors in a much larger proportion of femicide cases (241 femicides vs. 145 non-femicides; odds ratio (OR) of femicide 2.46, 95 % CI 1.85–3.27), such association being more pronounced for ex-partners (102 vs. 11; OR 11.56, 95 % CI 6.10–21.92). Sharp weapons showed a higher frequency in femicides (168 vs. 140; OR 1.26, 95 % CI 0.95–1.68). Femicides were more often associated with bodies found in vehicles (31 vs. 9; OR 3.50, 95 % CI 1.64–7.45) and outdoor (68 vs. 43; OR 1.62, 95 % CI 1.08–2.45). There was an indication of femicides being more frequently associated with overkilling (87/323 vs. 71/324; OR 1.24, 95 % CI 0.88–1.76) and even more with lesions located in erogenous zones (94/316 vs. 70/325; OR 1.38, 95 % CI: 0.97–1.95). However, the strongest (though statistically imprecise) association emerged for overkilling in erogenous zones (12/398 vs. 6/389; OR 1.95, 95 % CI: 0.72–5.25). The number of lesions showed a nonlinear association with femicide likelihood. These findings offer forensic indicators that could contribute in predicting and potentially prevent femicide occurrence in a Western population such as the Italian one.
Forensic Microbiology: When, Where and How Riccardo Nodari, Milena Arghittu, Paolo Bailo, Cristina Cattaneo, Roberta Creti, Francesco D’Aleo, Veroniek Saegeman, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Stefano Novati, Amparo Fernández-Rodríguez, Andrea Verzeletti, Claudio Farina, Claudio Bandi Microorganisms, 2024
Why identification matters: an explorative study on six cases of family reunification Lorenzo Franceschetti, Debora Mazzarelli, Chiara Ragni, Francesca Paltenghi, Andrea Pecoraro, Denise Albani, Roberto Giuffrida, Cecilia Siccardi, Nicolò Polizzi, Paola Di Simone, Annalisa D’Apuzzo, Daniele Mandrioli, Martina Buscemi, Marilisa D’Amico, Ilaria Viarengo, Cristina Cattaneo International Journal of Legal Medicine, 2024
Sexual assault and abuse committed against family members: An analysis of 1342 legal outcomes and their motivations Alberto Blandino, Lidia Maggioni, Francesca Chiaffarino, Fabio Parazzini, Daniele Capano, Elena Maria Florio, Manuela Margherita, Gian Marco Bertelle, Lorenzo Franceschetti, Alberto Amadasi, Giulia Vignali, Barbara Ciprandi, Graziano Domenico Luigi Crudele, Vera Gloria Merelli, Federica Collini, Enrico Angelo Muccino, Patrizio Nicolò, Giussy Barbara, Alessandra Kustermann, Cristina Cattaneo, Andrea Gentilomo Plos One, 2021
