10 Years revealing secrets because there is no excuse for secrecy in religion (w1997 June 1) – Dan 2:47; Matt 10:26; Mark 4:22; Luke 12:2; Acts 4:19. 20.
10 Years revealing secrets because there is no excuse for secrecy in religion (w1997 June 1) – Dan 2:47; Matt 10:26; Mark 4:22; Luke 12:2; Acts 4:19. 20.
The following article contains graphic details regarding a violent murder. Reader discretion is advised.
Rimini, Italy, October 3rd, 2023. Chaos ensues with families and the media with the brutal murder of Pierina Paganelli, a 78-year-old retired nurse and a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses. On that fateful night, at around 7:30 p.m., Pierina was viciously stabbed 29 times in the garage of her apartment building on Via Dei Ciclamini. Her body was discovered by her daughter-in-law, Manuela Bianchi, around 8:30 AM the following day.
The investigation, led by Deputy Prosecutor Daniele Paci and the Rimini mobile squad, has faced numerous challenges, including resistance from those within the Jehovah’s Witnesses community, to which Pierina and her family belonged. Investigators are focused on the family and uncovering the truth behind this horrific crime, which some believe may be connected to the hit-and-run of Pierina’s son, Giuliano Saponi, months before.
This case has continued to baffle investigators and stir the local community. One reporter in Italy, Anna Vagli, said, “It has almost become a TV series, and even before the referral to trial if there will be one, there is a split between those who believe is innocent and those who believe is guilty.”
Victim: Pierina Paganelli 78 year old Jehovah’s Witness
Pierina’s Son and Manuela’s husband: Guilano Saponi
Pierina’s daughter in Law: Manuela Bianchi
Manuela’s brother: Loris Bianchi
Manuela’s Lover and Main Suspect of Crime: Louis Dassilva
Dassilva’s wife: Valeria Bartolucci
The murder took place just before an important meeting. On October 4th, Manuela was supposed to meet with the body of elders of the Miramare (Rimini) Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where Pierina’s family attended. The meeting was to decide Manuela Bianchi’s fate. Manuela was accused of having an affair with her neighbor and fellow Jehovah’s Witness, Louis Dassilva, 34. This is a serious transgression according to Jehovah’s Witnesses’ religious beliefs. The body of elders had two options: “help her” cease the sin or disfellowship/remove her from association with others in the congregation. This includes losing her association with her family and friends.
The Rimini mobile squad and Deputy Prosecutor Daniele Paci encountered resistance when interrogating the council elders, who cited “clergy penitent privilege.” Due to the secrecy and unwilling cooperation from the elders, there is no note of who told them of the affair in the first place. This secrecy is complicating the investigation, leading to speculations that Manuela was deeply concerned about the body of elders’ impending decision.
Pierina’s son and Manuela’s husband, Giuliano Saponi, suggested that his mother, being a member of the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, might have reported an affair between his wife and Louis Dassilva to their local elders. Saponi knows this revelation would lead to severe repercussions within the congregation, causing tension, fear of retribution, and other consequences that might have driven someone to murder to prevent such a report from being made. This theory highlights a perceived motive linked to the religious and social dynamics within the Jehovah’s Witnesses community. If Manuela had been expelled from the Jehovah’s Witnesses, she risked damaging her relationship with her daughter and other family members. Saponi lost his position as a ministerial servant within the Jehovah’s Witnesses when the affair was made public to the media. Consequently, he disassociated himself from the religious organization. It is possible that Saponi’s mother, Pierina confronted Manuela about the affair without him knowing.
Amidst this turmoil and frantic media outburst on the murder, Manuela Bianchi also decided to dissociate herself from Jehovah’s Witnesses. A move she described as “painful but necessary.” She cited the overwhelming gossip and media attention as primary reasons for her decision, adversely affecting her family and religious community. She declared her irrevocable decision to leave the congregation in a letter to the elders.
Pierina’s murder was not the work of a stranger. The crime scene and the manner of her death suggest that her killer was known to her. The prolonged nature of her suffering, with the last stab wounds inflicted slowly, indicates the work of an inexperienced hand driven by personal rage rather than a professional hitman. The excessive violence points to a deep-seated animosity, hinting at a killer with a personal vendetta.
May 7th, 2023: Giuliano Saponi, 54, son of Pierina and husband of Manuela, was run over while on his bicycle at around 5:30 A.M. This happened at number 151 via Coriano, a hundred meters from his home on del Ciclamino 31. Saponi lay there close to dying until an ambulance just happened to pass by; he ended up in a coma for some time. In this case, the person responsible is missing, too. Investigators question if this may have been the same person who murdered Pierina, but there are no specific leads.
October 3rd, 2023: The night of the murder. Valeria Bartolucci (wife of the main suspect) claimed she was in bed nearby while Louis was on the couch, asserting she would have heard him if he had left. However, investigators believe the complex relationships between Bartolucci, Bianchi, and Dassilva may have triggered the murder.
October 11th, 2023: While still in the hospital after his accident, Sapino told investigators, “Investigate if there is a link to this accident and my mother’s murder.”
At this time, the investigation shone a spotlight on four individuals: Manuela Bianchi (lover of the main suspect), Loris Bianchi (brother of Manuela); Valeria Bartolucci (wife of the main suspect); and Louis Dassilva (the main suspect). These four initially defended themselves together but later split up after Manuela and Louis’s affair was revealed in the following months. This affair was a significant point of tension within the family and the Jehovah’s Witnesses community. Manuela’s relationship with Louis and the strain on her and Saponi’s marriage adds complexity to the case.
October 23rd, 2023: Saponi returns home after an extended hospital stay from his accident.
April, 2024: The news about Manuela’s affair with Dassilva is made public. This is when things become even more confusing and chaotic for the family, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the media. Manuela’s husband, Giuliano Saponi, is removed as a ministerial servant. He dissociates himself from the religious group shortly afterwards.
July 16, 2024: Louis Dassilva is arrested. After Dassilva is in custody and during a routine search for inmate visits, prison officers seize a long letter from the accused in which he apologizes to his wife Valeria about the affair. This crumpled and superficially hidden letter could have significant investigative value. This is because the affair was not known to investigators until months after the murder.
July 22nd, 2024: Some frames from a surveillance camera found installed in a pharmacy near the condominium via del Ciclamini 31 show a dark-skinned male framed by the electronic eye at 7:26 pm on October 3, 2023, a time and date close to when Pierina was killed. Investigators believe it to be that of Louis Dassilva.
July 24th, 2024: Many have speculated that Pierina’s knowledge of the affair between Manuela and Dassilva might have prompted the latter to fear repercussions from the congregation. This narrative suggests that Pierina, by reporting the affair to the congregation, would have triggered severe consequences for Manuela, Louis, Loris, Manuela’s brother to whom she is very close, and the rest of her family.
August 13, 2024: Investigators speculate that the video footage near the garage where Pierina was killed may not have been Dassilva.
August 14, 2024: At the laboratories of the Institute of Genetics in Tor Vergata, male DNA and blood splatter that was discovered on seven different objects Pierina had with her on the evening of her murder is analyzed. It iss reported that Dassilva turned in the pants and shoes he had on the night of the murder but would not turn in his T-shirt.
August 15th, 2024: Valeria tells the media that she is her husband’s alibi and stands with him, swearing he is innocent and believing the DNA after testing will not be that of Dassilva. Genetic and visual evidence is found to be inconclusive, leaving the case more uncertain. Since there is now insufficient evidence, it is likely that Dassilva will be released from prison.
Any recent results of the DNA samples will be included in a report to be admitted as trial documents in the final hearing of the evidentiary incident before Investigating Judge Cantarini, scheduled for October 11, 2024. Meanwhile, the hearing before the Review Court to decide on Dassilva’s possible release is planned for September 9, 2024.
So far, there has been no confession and no concrete evidence, but there are many suspicions where multiple family members are involved.
Such drama causes great upheaval, heartbreak, and mental turmoil for the removed person and those close to them. It causes a tear between families, friends, and their entire routine and lifestyle. In this case, the threat of being disciplined so severely could possibly have led to this murder.
The strict policies of Jehovah’s Witnesses elders regarding internal matters and reporting sin have come under scrutiny in the wake of Pierina Paganelli’s murder. Their reluctance to cooperate with authorities, even in cases as severe as murder, stems from their deep-seated belief in handling issues within the confines of their religious community. While preserving their internal order and confidentiality, this approach raises significant ethical and legal questions. The tension between religious doctrines and the demands of civil justice highlights the challenges authorities face in ensuring accountability and transparency, ultimately complicating the quest for justice in such tragic circumstances.
Links to Articles on Paganelli’s murder:
Pierina Paganelli killed by her daughter-in-law’s lover: “She had discovered them, he stabbed her”
Pierina Paganelli, the mystery of the Jehovah’s Witnesses meeting before the murder
Pierina Murder, What Are the Rules of Jehovah’s Witnesses and What Was Manuela Risking?
Pierina Case: Son Released from Jehovah’s Witness Role
Why does Valeria Bartolucci continue to maintain the innocence of her husband Louis Dassilva?
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The eyes of Jehovah are everywhere, watching both the bad and the good – Proverbs 15:3