Rome, Italy — An American man has been charged with murder following the grim discovery of a woman and her infant child found dead in a park, just days after they were seen together in public. The suspect, a 46-year-old identified as Rexal Ford, was taken into custody on the Greek island of Skiathos under an Italian warrant, authorities announced Friday.
Rome prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi stated that investigators have gathered “strong evidence” linking Ford to the death of the baby girl. While the cause of the 30-year-old mother’s death remains uncertain, Deputy Prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini expressed a “reasonable suspicion” of a double murder in this tragic case.
The bodies of the unidentified woman and infant were discovered at Villa Pamphili, a prominent park in Rome, on June 7. Investigations revealed that the woman’s body was concealed beneath a black bag, while the baby was found nestled in nearby bushes, a significant distance away. Authorities suspect that the mother was killed several days prior to the discovery of the infant.
Details surrounding the man’s true identity emerged as police uncovered that he had been living under an alias since 2019. Charles Francis Kaufmann, originally from California, had posed as a filmmaker named Rexal Ford, claiming to scout filming locations throughout Rome. Reports indicate that he had been frequently seen in the company of the woman and child, all communicating in English.
The relationship dynamics among the trio remain murky. While Kaufmann reportedly introduced the woman as “Stella Ford” and characterized her as his wife, investigators have found scant information regarding their actual connection. Tracing their movements led investigators to a homeless shelter close to the Vatican, where questions linger about how they met and lived together.
Authorities also retrieved Kaufmann’s fingerprints from the black bag covering the woman, which matched a sample from a makeshift tent commonly provided to homeless individuals. This evidence has further solidified the case against him.
Utilizing cell phone data, police were able to track Kaufmann, who fled to Greece shortly before his arrest. He is now awaiting extradition back to Italy. However, his legal team is actively working to have him returned to the United States instead.
As investigations continue, the circumstances surrounding this tragic event raise grave concerns and highlight the often unseen vulnerabilities faced by individuals in precarious situations.