Italian Ambulance Driver Arrested Over Suspicious Deaths of Elderly Patients

Italian ambulance driver Luca Spada, 27, was arrested on April 11, 2026, in Meldola, in the Forlì-Cesena province of northern Italy, on charges of aggravated premeditated murder in connection with the death of 85-year-old Deanna Mambelli, who died on November 25, 2025, during a routine medical transport. The arrest was carried out at dawn by the Forlì Carabinieri together with the Bologna NAS, acting on a precautionary custody order issued by the preliminary investigations judge at the Court of Forlì. Mambelli was being transferred from a cardiology department where she had been recovering to a rehabilitation clinic when she fell ill and died on board the vehicle. Spada, who worked as an operator and driver for the Italian Red Cross Forlimpopoli-Bertinoro Committee, had already been suspended from duty after becoming a suspect in the case. He has consistently denied all accusations, stating that he followed protocols and called for medical assistance whenever complications arose during transports.

Air bubble method suspected across at least five deaths The investigation, coordinated by Forlì Prosecutor Enrico Cieri, centers on the hypothesis that Spada caused fatal gas embolisms by intentionally injecting air or poisonous substances into patients during non-urgent ambulance transfers between healthcare facilities. According to the prosecutorial framework outlined by multiple Italian outlets, the sudden deteriorations typically began within minutes of departure — in at least one instance after only a few hundred meters of travel — after which the on-call emergency doctor was alerted, but the patients' conditions had already worsened rapidly. Two of the elderly patients later died in hospital, while three others died directly during transport. Forensic analysis of medical equipment seized from Spada — including needles, syringes, catheters, scalpels, and tongue depressors — was conducted at the Parma RIS laboratory, with investigators seeking biological traces and suspicious substances. The autopsy performed on Deanna Mambelli is reported to have provided key findings supporting the embolism hypothesis. In four of the documented cases, Spada was present in the medical compartment alongside the patients; in one case he was at the wheel.

5 (confirmed suspicious deaths) — minimum number of elderly patients under investigation

Key events in the Spada investigation: — ; — ; — ; — ; —

Families' lawyer calls arrest a predictable outcome Attorney Max Starni, who represents the family of Deanna Mambelli as well as the family of at least one other alleged victim, described the arrest as the expected conclusion of a careful inquiry. „This is the natural conclusion of an investigation conducted with great attention and precision by the Forlì Prosecutor's Office, a result we expected.” — Max Starni via AGI Starni told Fanpage.it that a press conference scheduled for Monday, April 13, would provide further details on the evidentiary basis for the arrest and on the investigations into the other deaths. He also indicated that the coming days would be critical for assessing the relevance of additional suspected cases to the overall prosecutorial case. Spada's defense lawyer, Gloria Parigi, said her client was shocked by the developments. Spada himself had previously given televised interviews asserting his innocence, and according to Il Messaggero, described his reaction to the investigation becoming public with the phrase: „The world fell on me.” — Luca Spada via Il Messaggero

Red Cross distances itself, broader probe still expanding The Italian Red Cross issued a statement reiterating its full cooperation with investigators and expressing condolences to the families of those involved, while emphasizing that Spada had been removed from service as a precautionary measure from the earliest stages of the investigation. The organization stated that the alleged conduct was "in absolute contrast with the values and mission" of the Red Cross. Investigators initially focused on five suspicious deaths of elderly patients with serious pre-existing conditions, all of whom died during or immediately after non-urgent ambulance transfers in the Forlì area. Reports subsequently emerged of three additional cases under examination, and Il Messaggero cited a headline referencing a total of up to eleven possible victims, though the formal charge at the time of arrest concerned only the death of Deanna Mambelli. Investigators also examined a possible connection between Spada and a funeral home in Meldola, though representatives of that business denied any involvement, according to Libertatea. A full account of the investigation's scope was expected to be presented by Prosecutor Cieri at the April 13 press conference.

Non-urgent inter-facility ambulance transfers, known as secondary transfers, are generally considered lower-risk medical transports compared to emergency calls, as patients are typically in stable condition and the journey involves moving between healthcare facilities rather than responding to acute crises. Gas embolism — the introduction of air or gas into the bloodstream — can cause rapid cardiovascular collapse and death, and its intentional induction has been cited in a number of historical cases involving healthcare workers accused of harming patients in their care. Italy's NAS units have jurisdiction over healthcare-related crimes and have previously investigated cases of patient mistreatment and medical fraud across the country's public and private health sectors.