Life Sentence for Moussa Sangare for the Brutal Murder of Sharon Verzeni

The Court of Assizes in Bergamo has issued a verdict in one of the most high-profile criminal cases in Italy in recent years. Moussa Sangare, a man from Milan of Malian descent, was found guilty of the murder of Sharon Verzeni. The judges fully agreed with the arguments of prosecutor Emanuele Marchisio, who demanded the maximum sentence, arguing that Sangare is an "incorrigible narcissist" who sacrificed a human life for his own satisfaction. The verdict concludes a months-long trial during which the defense unsuccessfully tried to challenge the evidence or obtain a more lenient sentence. The key evidence in the case turned out to be DNA tests of the victim, which were found on a bicycle belonging to the convicted man. The prosecution ruled out any possibility of accidental sample contamination. The court also recognized three aggravating circumstances: premeditation, trivial motives for the act, and exploitation of the victim's defenselessness (minorata difesa). Sangare pleaded guilty shortly after his arrest in August 2024, claiming at the time that he left home with the intention of killing anyone he met on his way. The murder of Sharon Verzeni in Terno d'Isola shocked Italy due to the complete randomness of the victim's selection, reminiscent of some of the darkest criminal cases in Lombardy's history.The victim's family received the verdict with visible emotion. Melody Verzeni, the murdered woman's sister, in a statement after the court's decision was announced, emphasized that the family had hoped until the end for the accused to show remorse, which, however, did not happen. Sergio Ruocco, Sharon's partner, expressed relief, stating that justice had been served, although it would not soothe the pain of losing a loved one. The defense of the accused, which in the final phase of the trial attempted to suggest the client's innocence or insanity, announced it would analyze the reasoning of the verdict for a possible appeal. „Abbiano confidato fino all'ultimo che l'imputato riconoscesse il suo efferato delitto. Questo purtroppo non è successo e ciò non fa altro che aumentare la sua pericolosità.” (We had hoped until the very end that the defendant would acknowledge his heinous crime. Unfortunately, this did not happen, and this only increases his dangerousness.) — Melody Verzeni