Authorities have found the body of 22-year-old Albanian student Ilaria Sula, missing since 25 March, in a wooded area near Poli, Rome. Her body was inside a suitcase dumped in a ravine, according to Corriere della Sera.
Forensic investigators and firefighters recovered the body. Initial reports indicate that she had recently been in a relationship with 23-year-old Filipino national Mark Samson, who has been arrested and reportedly confessed to the murder. Ilaria Sula was studying Statistics at La Sapienza University. Her family, friends, and colleagues had been searching for her, sharing photos and appeals online.
Ex-Boyfriend Arrested
Samson was arrested after a lengthy interrogation and has reportedly admitted to killing Sula. Investigators suspect he stabbed her multiple times in his apartment on Via Homs before placing her body in a suitcase and disposing of it. He faces charges of intentional murder and concealing a body. It remains unclear whether he disclosed the location of the body himself.
To cover his tracks, he continued using Sula’s mobile phone, responding to messages and posting on social media after her death. On the night of 25 March, Sula left home without informing her roommates and did not respond to their WhatsApp messages.
Ilaria Sula’s Brother – “Why Did He Do It?”
“We can’t explain it. Why did he do it? Only he knows,” said Leon, Sula’s younger brother, who travelled to Rome with relatives. “I last spoke to my sister two weeks ago when she visited us in Terni. She seemed calm and mentioned no problems. Then, only messages.”
Leon confirmed that he knew Samson, saying: “They were together for a year but had broken up.”
Sula shared a flat with four students in Rome’s San Lorenzo district. Her roommates said she left at 9:30 pm on 25 March but had acted normally. WhatsApp messages were later sent from her phone, allegedly by Samson. From 29 March, no one received a response. Concerned, her roommates alerted her family and contacted the police.
“She left at 9:30 p.m. without saying goodbye. We didn’t see anything unusual. But after that, we never heard from her again.”
The investigation took a dramatic turn when police searched Samson’s apartment in the Africano neighbourhood. On the night she disappeared, Sula had rushed out to meet someone, leaving behind all her belongings. Her mobile remained active, with someone responding to messages, though it is unclear if it was her.
The murder has chilling similarities with the murder of Giulia Cecchettin in November 2023.
