In Italy, a husband who murdered his wife and daughter has been safeguarded from a life sentence after a judge ruled that his brutal crime had “understandably human motives”.

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70-year-old Salvatore Montefusco, gunned down his wife 47-year-old Gabriela Trandafir and 22-year-old Renata, in June 2022. He committed the murders in front of their young son.

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“Understandably human motives” 

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Despite the severity of his crime, the Modena Court of Assizes has sentenced Montefusco to 30 years in prison instead of life imprisonment for the double femicide, as requested by prosecutors.

The court justified its decision by citing Montefusco's lack of a criminal record and the “nefarious family dynamics” that allegedly “triggered” him into committing the murders. Judges concluded that he would not have carried out the killings “if not driven by the nefarious family dynamics that had been triggered over time,” reports DailyMail.

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Court cites emotional 'blackout'

In a 200-page ruling, the judges detailed how ongoing family tensions and repeated confrontations had led Montefusco to experience “profound discomfort, humiliation, and enormous frustration.”

The court described his mental state as an “emotional and existential blackout” after his daughter repeatedly told him to leave the family home.

It “caused in his soul, as he himself has repeatedly underlined, that emotional and existential blackout that would have led him to run to get the gun”.

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Reportedly, during this moment of rage, Montefusco grabbed a firearm that was only metres away and shot both his wife and daughter. Despite previous threats of violence, the judges ruled out aggravating factors such as premeditation and cruelty, which led to the lighter sentence.

According to reports, Montefusco had previously threatened to kill the pair. 

Family lawyer condemns court's 'benevolence'

Slamming the court's decision, Barbara Iannuccelli, the attorney who represented the family, expressed disbelief over the court's leniency.

“The very young victim Renata Trandafir wanted to become a lawyer in order to be able to defend herself from the daily violence she and her mother had to endure,” Iannuccelli stated. 

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“Today, she was spared the experience of having to understand why the merciless killer of two unprotected women could benefit from such benevolence.”

Quoting the court's reasoning, she added, “Generic extenuating circumstances sweeping away any aggravating circumstance for... human understanding—we are all navigating in a sea of strong disbelief.”

(With inputs from agencies)