A man fatally attacked his wife using a stone before absconding with his teenage children, resulting in a tragic outcome when his son was discovered dead in the car, as per authorities in southern Italy.
Salvatore Ocone, aged 58, stands accused of murdering his 49-year-old wife, Elisa Polcino, by striking her head with a large rock in their bed in Paupisi, a small town in the Benevento province, on the early morning of September 30. The discovery of the victim’s body was made by her mother-in-law, who grew concerned when Elisa failed to take her children to school, a routine she followed daily.
Following this shocking revelation, a 12-hour manhunt was initiated by the Carabinieri, the Italian national gendarmerie. Eventually, a police helicopter located the man’s vehicle in Ferrazzano, approximately 70 kilometers from the crime scene.
Tragically, when the car was found, it was revealed that the couple’s 15-year-old son had passed away, while his 16-year-old sister was critically injured. Ocone was found in the car with his daughter and his son’s lifeless body upon the arrival of emergency services.
Authorities noted that the teenagers exhibited injuries consistent with being struck by rocks. According to Rai News, the man purportedly utilized a glass bottle to assault the children.
Ocone and his wife had another son who was absent during the incident as he was working in Emilia-Romagna, a region in northern Italy. Gianfranco Scarfò, the Benevento prosecutor, stated that Ocone killed his wife with a large stone before attacking his younger children at home, subsequently forcing them into his vehicle and fleeing.
Carabinieri discovered blood traces in the family residence and in the vicinity of where the man’s car was found, as reported by Sky TG24. Colonel Calandro, the Benevento Carabinieri commander, emphasized the urgency in locating the vehicle to rescue the children upon realizing they had been assaulted at home.
Ocone was apprehended and charged with aggravated double homicide, attempted homicide, and kidnapping. During questioning on October 1, he confessed to the two murders, as confirmed by the prosecutor. Presently, he is detained in a prison in the nearby city of Campobasso. Investigators revealed during a press briefing that Ocone had previously received treatment for chronic psychosis and underwent compulsory medical intervention in 2011.
The couple’s daughter, who was in critical condition when discovered in the car with her deceased brother, underwent surgery for a severe head injury at the Neuromed hospital in Pozzilli, located in the Isernia province. A recent update from the hospital indicated that she is now in stable condition, although her prognosis remains guarded.
Elisa became the latest victim in a disturbing series of femicides in Italy. In response, the Senate unanimously passed a bill in July designating femicide as a distinct felony in Italian criminal law. The legislation mandates life imprisonment for individuals who cause a woman’s death due to discriminatory or hateful acts or with the intention to suppress her rights, freedoms, or personality.
The bill, which awaits final approval in the Lower House, also introduces new criteria for prison benefits and privileges for convicted femicide perpetrators, in addition to strengthening commitments to educational programs and awareness campaigns to combat gender-based violence.