In a chilling account that has captivated the public, Manuela Bianchi detailed the harrowing events surrounding the death of her mother-in-law, Pierina Paganelli, in October 2023. Speaking to Storie Italiane, Manuela described the morning of the murder, which began like any other, but quickly spiraled into chaos. At 8:06 AM, as she arrived at the garage after dropping her daughter off at school, she encountered Louis, her secret lover, who seemed unusually tense. He urged her to call a resident on the first floor because a woman had slipped near the fire door.
What followed was a scene that would haunt her forever. Upon opening the garage door, Manuela found Pierina lifeless, her slip cut in half. "It felt like my blood ran cold," she recalled. In a panic, she and Louis made the first call for help, and when the authorities arrived, the grim reality hit: it was indeed her mother-in-law.
The aftermath of the discovery left Manuela in a whirlwind of emotions. "Louis asked me how I felt, but I needed answers," she explained, revealing her instinct to protect Louis by asking him to delete incriminating messages from her phone. The tension in her marriage to Giuliano, Pierina's son, had been brewing for months. In April 2023, Pierina had accused Manuela of not loving her husband, leading Manuela to seek solace in Louis. "That accusation pushed me closer to him," she admitted, marking the start of an affair that would complicate her life further.
Financial stress also strained her relationship with Pierina. Manuela revealed that Pierina had recently faced a court-ordered foreclosure, which led to accusations of theft against her. "I had to borrow 700 euros from my father to pay her back," Manuela recounted. This financial pressure, coupled with the secrets of her affair, created a volatile environment.
As the investigation unfolded, Manuela found herself not just grieving but also fearing that she might be implicated in a crime she did not commit. Louis Dassilva, her lover, became the primary suspect in Pierina's murder, which was marked by 29 stab wounds. According to forensic audio analysis, the last word spoken by the killer was allegedly "calma" at 22:12:11 on October 3, just before the attack.
Marco Perino, a forensic phonics expert, analyzed audio from a nearby condo's security camera. He reported that the voice saying "calma" and another voice saying "ragazza" at the end of the attack matched Louis's voice. Meanwhile, a female voice that allegedly said "buona" shortly after the attack was thought to be Manuela's, despite being nearly drowned out by Pierina's screams.
On October 3, 2023, at 22:13:33, the first scream was recorded, coinciding with the shattering of a glass jar. This timeline provides a chilling backdrop to the events that unfolded. The convergence of audio evidence and eyewitness accounts has led to speculation about Manuela's potential complicity in the crime. The Riesame court suggested that she may have been aware of the murder beforehand, raising questions about her role in the events leading to Pierina's death.
In a recent confession on March 4, 2025, Manuela's statements echoed the speculations made by the Riesame court, suggesting she might have been informed of the murder by Louis upon her arrival at the garage. The court's hypothesis implied that she could have been morally complicit, though it did not absolve Louis of his actions.
As the case progresses, the complexities surrounding Manuela's relationship with Louis and her strained ties with Pierina continue to unfold. The investigation has revealed that Louis had sought a "marabutage," a voodoo curse, against police and prosecutors involved in the case, further complicating the narrative.
With the preliminary investigation judge, Vinicio Cantarini, set to decide on Louis's release, the courtroom drama intensifies. The defense has presented new evidence, including technical reports and intercepted messages, which will be scrutinized in upcoming hearings.
The tragic death of Pierina Paganelli has not only left a family shattered but has also raised profound questions about love, betrayal, and the lengths one might go to protect a secret. As the legal proceedings unfold, the public remains captivated by this real-life drama, eager for answers to the haunting questions that linger in the aftermath of this tragic event.
