A 46-year-old American man suspected of murdering his Russian partner and their infant daughter in Rome was extradited to Italy yesterday from Greece. Francis Kaufmann, also known as Rexal Ford, arrived at Ciampino Airport on a military flight before being transferred under police escort to Rome’s Rebibbia prison.
Kaufmann is accused of the brutal killing of 29-year-old Anastasia Trofimova and their 11-month-old daughter, Andromeda, whose bodies were discovered on 7 June in Villa Pamphili park, approximately 200 metres apart.
Italian prosecutors, led by Deputy Prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini, have charged Kaufmann with voluntary double homicide. The family had reportedly been living in extreme poverty, sleeping rough between Villa Pamphili and Via Gregorio VII. They are believed to have bathed in fountains and survived without a fixed residence.
Following his extradition, Kaufmann reportedly caused a disturbance at Ciampino Airport, lashing out at officers and claiming he had been mistreated. He said he felt unwell and was in pain, prompting authorities to take him to the Tor Vergata polyclinic for a medical examination. Doctors later deemed him fit for detention.
Before being moved to Rebibbia’s protected ward, Kaufmann was described as combative. His formal interrogation is expected to take place next week, as authorities seek clarity on the events that led to the deaths of Trofimova and her child.
The case has shocked the Italian public, not only for its brutality but also for the tragic conditions in which the young family lived in the heart of Rome. Investigators are now piecing together the final days of their lives and preparing for a key phase in what promises to be a high-profile criminal case.
