Lorena Paolini, a 53-year-old housewife, was found in critical condition by her husband upon his return to their home on Sunday. The woman died shortly after, with the 118 emergency service’s attempts to resuscitate her proving futile. A suspicious mark was found on her neck. The Chieti Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into homicide against unknown persons. It is believed she may have been caught off guard from behind while sitting. Today, the forensic team is inspecting the apartment. The autopsy will be conducted on Thursday.
Investigations continue into the death of Lorena Paolini, a 53-year-old housewife who died on Sunday around 12:30 p.m. in her home in the Casone district of Ortona. The Chieti Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into homicide against unknown persons. What initially seemed like a heart attack has raised suspicions, as the 118 emergency responders noticed a mark, a sort of small groove, on the woman’s neck. The current hypothesis is that she may have been attacked from behind while seated, grabbed by the neck in a manner that left her with no chance to defend herself, and left dying on the sofa where her husband found her. The mark on her neck left a bruise, a sign that raised suspicions. The woman did not have time to react, as there are no signs of a struggle; the room was tidy, and nothing was missing from the house.
What happened
The victim’s husband, Andrea Cieri, a businessman in the funeral sector in Ortona, raised the alarm around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. When the man returned home, his wife was practically at death’s door, lying on the sofa; she likely had just finished ironing the laundry, and the attempts by the 118 emergency service to revive her were in vain. All of this occurred in a first-floor apartment in a building shared by three families, where the woman lived with her husband and their two daughters: the youngest was at home, asleep, when her father returned and raised the alarm.
The investigations
The magistrate coordinating the investigation, Deputy Prosecutor Giuseppe Falasca, wanted to re-interview everyone yesterday afternoon at the Ortona Carabinieri barracks, as persons informed of the facts, starting with the closest family members. The prosecutor examined and clarified what emerged from the initial interrogations on Sunday evening, also to resolve any contradictions. In the meantime, the Prosecutor’s Office has ordered a digital forensic analysis of the woman’s mobile phone: one of the steps to reconstruct her last hours of life, reviewing contacts, calls, and messages.
Forensic inspection in the home
The forensic investigation section of the Carabinieri returned to Ortona this morning for an inspection of Lorena Paolini’s home, which is under seizure. As for the autopsy, it will likely be assigned on Thursday to forensic doctor Cristian D’Ovidio, who has already conducted a preliminary examination of the body immediately after the death. The examination will help determine whether the victim’s death was caused by homicide.
The details
Meanwhile, further details have emerged: when the husband returned home, he called for help; the 118 team arrived to find the woman still alive, but she could not say anything. The medical personnel noticed the mark on her neck, which was neither from a rope nor a cable, small but deep, without finding any compatible objects. The same 118 staff then asked the husband, “Did you kill her?” “No, no, it was a health issue,” was his reply. No letters or writings indicating suicidal intentions by the woman were found in the house.