Customer stabs pizzeria owner to death in Reggio Emilia after request for free pizza refused
A 61-year-old pizzeria owner was fatally stabbed at his restaurant in Reggio Emilia on Monday evening after refusing a regular customer’s demand for a free slice. The man also seriously wounded the victim’s sister before fleeing.
A dispute over a free pizza ended in murder at Pizzeria Yoghi in the southern part of Reggio Emilia late on 29 June 2026. Around 10:30 p.m., a regular customer entered the establishment on Via Gran Sasso d’Italia and asked for a pizza without paying. When the owner refused, the man pulled a knife and attacked.
The attack
Investigators believe the assailant was a foreign national who had been a habitual patron of the pizzeria. He demanded a free pizza, but Raffaele Stipa, who had run the business for two decades, turned him down.
The customer then stabbed Stipa mortally. Antonella Stipa, the owner’s sister, rushed to help and was gravely injured in the process. She was taken to Santa Maria Nuova hospital with multiple wounds and remains in shock.I’ve already offered you three, now that’s enough.
Victim and his sister
Raffaele Stipa was originally from Capo d’Orlando, in the province of Messina, but had been living in Reggio Emilia for many years. He was 60 or 61 years old, according to varying accounts. He had operated the pizzeria for 20 years and was a well-known figure in the neighbourhood. His sister Antonella, who tried to stop the killer, is being treated for serious injuries.
Manhunt and arrest
After the attack, the suspect fled the scene, prompting an immediate police search.
- Suspect demands free pizza, then stabs owner and sister at Pizzeria Yoghi
- Police locate and arrest the suspect
