American man gets life sentence in Rome for murder of partner and baby daughter

American man gets life sentence in Rome for murder of partner and baby daughter Trofimova came from Siberia and met Kaufmann in Malta during a vacation in 2023 - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in An American citizen has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted by a court in Rome of killing his partner and their baby daughter, Italian news agency LaPresse reported on Thursday. Francis Kaufmann, 47, escaped to the Greek island of Skiathos following the June 2025 double murder before being extradited back to Italy. He was tried for the deaths of 28-year-old Anastasia Trofimova and their nearly one-year-old daughter, Andromeda. The victims' naked bodies were found in Rome’s Villa Pamphili park. Trofimova, whose body was found under a black bag, had been killed several days before the infant, who was found in nearby undergrowth. Neither had identification. Prosecutors said CCTV footage subsequently showed Kaufmann carrying the child towards the Villa Pamphili park and returning around an hour later without her. Kaufmann has denied the accusations. His defense argued that there was no hard evidence proving he had carried out the killings. "This is a trial based on circumstantial evidence, and circumstantial evidence is not proof," defense lawyer Paolo Foti told the court on Thursday. Kaufmann, a self-described filmmaker who went by the pseudonym Rexal Ford, had previously received $1 million in Italian tax credits for an unproduced movie. Trofimova came from Siberia and met Kaufmann in Malta during a vacation in 2023. Their daughter, Andromeda, was born in June 2024 and the family later moved to Rome. Police initially struggled to identify the victims after their unclothed bodies were discovered hours apart on June 7, 2025. A breakthrough came when the case was featured on a popular television program seeking help with missing persons. A viewer reported seeing officers deal with a bleeding man alongside a young woman and child in Rome less than three weeks before the murders. Investigators confirmed the report in police logs, which also showed officers had stopped Kaufmann again on June 5, when he was visibly intoxicated and alone with Andromeda. Prosecutors stated Trofimova was already dead by then, but suggested the child might have been saved had police taken more decisive action. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] SERVIZIC SERRIERRRNI