Netflix Releases Teaser for Italy’s Darkest Mystery Based on True & Horrifying Story
Netflix has dropped a chilling new teaser for The Monster of Florence, a true crime drama based on one of Italy’s most terrifying unsolved cases. The show will arrive on October 22, lining up with the 10th anniversary of Netflix’s debut in Italy.
Directed by Stefano Sollima, who’s known for his gritty style in shows like Gomorrah, this new series is made with Leonardo Fasoli and focuses on a serial killer who terrorized the countryside near Florence from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. The killer, who was never truly caught, murdered 16 people, most of them young couples found in quiet, remote places, often during new moons.
According to Netflix, the four-episode drama won’t just follow the police investigation. It also looks at the many different suspects over the years, some of whom were never fully cleared. The story even explores the point of view of those accused or suspected of being “the monster.”
The cast includes Marco Bullitta, Valentino Mannias, Francesca Olia, Liliana Bottone, Giacomo Fadda, Antonio Tintis and Giordano Mannu. The series is produced by The Apartment, which is part of Fremantle, along with AlterEgo, with Lorenzo Mieli, Sollima, and Gina Gardini on board as producers.
The real case that inspired the show is both disturbing and confusing. The killer, nicknamed “Il Mostro di Firenze” by Italian media, used a .22 caliber pistol and a knife. In many cases, the female victims had parts of their bodies removed in horrifying ways. Police believe the same gun was used in every murder, but it was never found. Even worse, in 1985, someone mailed a piece of a victim’s body to the Florence Prosecutor’s Office.
In the 1990s, several men were arrested and tried, including Pietro Pacciani, who was convicted and then acquitted on appeal. After his death in 1998, the case moved on to Mario Vanni and Giancarlo Lotti. Lotti confessed and claimed he, Pacciani, and Vanni were involved. The media even gave them a nickname: “The Snack Buddies,” a strange title based on their claim that they were just friends who liked to hang out and eat snacks.
Despite the convictions in 2000, a lot of doubts remain. There was no solid DNA or fingerprint evidence, and the gun was never found. Some investigators have explored wild theories over the years, including the idea that the murders were done as part of some strange ritual or on someone’s orders, but nothing has ever been proven.
Even after all these years, the case is still open. People in Italy, especially in the Florence area, haven’t forgotten the fear that spread during the killer’s active years. The show will likely bring all of that horror back to light, reminding viewers that this mystery was never really solved.
The teaser and release details were first reported by Netflix and shared widely across entertainment media. The story of the Monster of Florence has fascinated crime fans for decades, and this new series is likely to spark fresh conversations and maybe even new theories.
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