Penalty reduced in Sargonia Dankha murder case

The case concerns the disappearance and murder of Sargonia Dankha, a 21-year-old Assyrian with Swedish nationality, who vanished in Linköping, Sweden, in November 1995. For decades, the investigation remained stalled in Sweden due to the absence of a body, which legally prevented a prosecution for murder at the time. However, the case found a breakthrough in Italy, where Aldobrandi has lived for years. Leveraging Italian legal provisions that allow for prosecution based on circumstantial evidence and witness testimonies even without a body, Italian authorities reopened the file. Last year, a lower court in Imperia had sentenced Aldobrandi to life in prison, concluding he was the only person with both the motive, cited as "extreme jealousy and possession", and the opportunity to commit the crime.

While the prosecution in the appeal trial had requested a confirmation of the life sentence, the judges in Genoa ultimately decided to grant general mitigating circumstances (attenuanti generiche). This adjustment led to the dramatic reduction of the sentence to 14 years. Defense attorneys Fabrizio Cravero and Mario Ventimiglia, who have consistently argued that Italy lacked the jurisdiction to proceed with the trial, expressed partial satisfaction. "It is a sentence that does not fully satisfy me," Ventimiglia stated, "but we are pleased that the penalty has been significantly downsized. We have already filed a request for his release from custody."

The defense has confirmed they will appeal to the Court of Cassation, Italy’s highest court. The detailed written grounds for the appeal court's decision are expected to be released by late summer, with a final ruling likely in early 2027.
For the family of Sargonia Dankha, who have fought for justice since 1995, the legal journey continues. While the reduction of the sentence may come as a blow to those seeking the maximum penalty, the Italian courts have, for the second time, officially held Aldobrandi responsible for a crime that went unpunished for twenty-eight years.