In a shocking case of familial betrayal and financial greed, a 58-year-old man has confessed to brutally murdering his elderly mother before concealing her body to fraudulently claim her pension. Marco Paventi stands accused of the horrific killing of 86-year-old Enrica Bardotti in their shared home in Piobesi Torinese, near Turin, Italy.
Concerned Friends Trigger Police Investigation
The grim discovery began when friends of Enrica Bardotti grew worried after she failed to attend Sunday mass at her local church on January 18. Fellow parishioners attempted to contact the pensioner via WhatsApp messaging but received no response. Digital records indicated her last activity on the application occurred at 5:17 pm on January 16.
When several concerned individuals visited her residence to check on her welfare, they encountered her son, Marco Paventi. The 58-year-old initially provided a fabricated story, insisting his mother was "just away on a trip." Unsatisfied with this explanation and growing increasingly alarmed, the friends promptly contacted local law enforcement authorities.
Gradual Unraveling of a Web of Lies
Police officers visited the family home and were initially given the same deceptive narrative by Paventi. Only after persistent and repeated questioning on Wednesday evening did the suspect begin to partially admit the truth. "One day I came home and found her dead," Paventi told investigators. "I buried her in a wood near the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi."
He further elaborated on his motive, stating, "She was already dead, I just hid the body so I could collect her pension. I'm unemployed, that money is my only source of income." However, this version of events would soon collapse under further intensive police interrogation.
Full Confession Reveals Brutal Hammer Attack
Subsequent questioning revealed the full, horrifying extent of the crime. Paventi eventually confessed that he had not merely discovered his mother's body but had actually killed her before burying her remains in nearby woodland. Enrica Bardotti's body was later discovered in an advanced state of decomposition, complicating the immediate determination of the precise cause of death. A full autopsy examination is expected to be conducted in the coming days.
Initial police reports, based on the suspect's confession and evidence gathered, suggest that Paventi strangled his mother and struck her over the head with a hammer. Investigators strongly believe the primary motive was financial gain. The mother and son, originally from Rome, had been living together in Piobesi Torinese for several years and were known to have frequent, heated arguments over money matters.
History of Financial Strain and Tragedy
The pensioner had previously sold an apartment to help her son pay off his accumulating debts, but the financial situation failed to improve. These ongoing monetary disputes ultimately culminated in the tragic and violent attack. Marco Paventi has now been formally arrested and is currently in prison, facing serious charges of murder and concealment of a corpse.
Eerie Parallels to Previous Pension Fraud Murder Case
This distressing case bears striking similarities to a previous crime in Essex, England, involving Virginia McCullough. She killed both of her parents, concealed their bodies for approximately four years, and continued systematically collecting their pension payments throughout that period.
McCullough even went so far as to hide her mother's corpse inside a wardrobe after "maggots and flies" began appearing shortly after the killing. When finally arrested, she appeared almost relieved to reveal the long-held secret behind her parents' mysterious disappearance.
During the years following the murders, McCullough collected her parents' pensions and routinely used their credit cards, reportedly profiting by around £150,000. An Essex court also heard evidence that she spent roughly £21,000 on online gambling platforms between 2019 and 2023. These cases highlight the dark extremes of financial desperation and familial betrayal.
