Monster of Florence

The Monster of Florence is the name coined by the Italian press for a serial killer active within the former province of Florence between 1968 and 1985. The Monster murdered sixteen victims, usually young couples secluded in search of privacy, in wooded areas during new moons. Although none of the murders were committed in the city of Florence proper, the name of the killer, initially referred to as the Maniac of Couples, was chosen due to the murders being committed in the surrounding countryside. After an investigation was launched in the early 1990s by the Florence Prosecutor's Office, several connected persons were convicted for involvement in the murders, yet the exact sequence of events, the identity of the main perpetrator and the motive remain unclear.