Luigia Fortunato, 33, stabbed to death in Loreto; ex-partner arrested after confessing to neighbours

What happened

On the evening of 9 July 2026, around 22:30, residents of via Bramante in Loreto, province of Ancona, noticed a man staggering in the street, his clothes soaked in blood. He reportedly told passersby that he had just killed his ex-partner. Several neighbours called the single emergency number 112, triggering a rapid police and medical response.

When Carabinieri arrived they stopped the 35-year-old, who did not resist, and took him to the barracks in Porto Recanati (Macerata). Meanwhile, an ambulance from the Loreto Red Cross and a medicalised ambulance from Recanati reached the apartment on the fifth floor of number 194 via Bramante. Inside they found the victim, Luigia Fortunato, 33, lying in the corridor with multiple stab wounds and extensive blood loss. Resuscitation attempts failed; paramedics declared her dead at the scene.

The suspect

According to early reports, the attacker is a 35-year-old man of North African origin. He had been separated from Fortunato for some time, but had been pressing her to reconcile and, most importantly, to hand over custody of their child. The couple’s relationship had been described as troubled, and the break-up was contested over the child, who was not at home during the attack.

The murder weapon was a knife, though it is unclear whether it came from the kitchen or if the man brought it with him. After the assault he descended to the street, seemingly in a state of shock, still wearing clothes covered in blood. Witnesses initially thought he might have been attacked himself before he revealed what he had done.

Victim and child

Luigia Fortunato was originally from Cerignola but had been living in Loreto for years. She was the mother of a young boy fathered with the ex-partner. At the time of the murder the child was not present in the apartment. Neighbours knew her as a mother and a woman who had helped her ex-partner in many ways, according to statements made by her family.

You ruined our lives. You took everything from me, even my daughter. She helped you with everything.

Her mother arrived at the scene shortly after learning of the attack and confronted the suspect as he was being detained. Her words, shouted in the street, expressed devastation and anger at the loss of a daughter who had supported the man now accused of killing her.

What happens next

The suspect was taken to the Porto Recanati barracks, where he was formally interrogated late last night. He has not been named publicly. Police continue to piece together the exact sequence of events inside the apartment and to determine whether the act was premeditated or the culmination of a sudden escalation. An autopsy will be carried out to establish the precise cause and timing of death. The investigation remains open, and the man is expected to face charges of voluntary homicide.