Francis Kaufmann, the American man accused of murdering his Russian partner and their infant daughter in Rome, proclaimed his innocence during a video hearing in a Greek courtroom on Wednesday.
“I am innocent: I didn’t kill them. I want to speak to my lawyer and the American consulate,” Kaufmann, 46, said. He was speaking in a videoconference from Larissa, where he is currently detained.
He declined to answer further questions, exercising his right to remain silent during the session requested by the Rome Prosecutor’s Office via a European Investigation Order.
The hearing was attended by a Greek investigating judge. On Thursday, judges at the Court of Appeal in Larissa are expected to examine Italy’s extradition request. Kaufmann has formally opposed the extradition. The court has up to 60 days to issue a ruling.
Kaufmann is accused of killing 28-year-old Anastasia Trofimova and their 11-month-old daughter, Andromeda, earlier this month in Villa Pamphili, a large public park in Rome.
The baby was found dead from strangulation on June 6, around 200 metres from her mother’s body. Investigators believe the mother was killed days earlier, possibly between June 3 and 4. A histological exam is still pending to determine the cause of her death, as no visible signs of violence were found.
Fled Italy for Greece
Police believe the family had been living rough in the park for at least two weeks, sleeping on makeshift beds and relying on nearby market stalls for food and water.
Kaufmann’s phone was switched off on June 4. He was seen wandering Rome with the child after the suspected death of Trofimova. On June 5, police stopped him drunk and carrying the baby near Largo Argentina. He identified himself with an American passport under the alias Rexal Ford.
The child was found dead the next day in the same park, naked and partially covered by a plastic sheet. Investigators believe Kaufmann spent the next five days trying to conceal evidence, including the child’s clothing.
On June 11, he boarded a flight to Greece using one of his credit cards. He was arrested on the island of Skiathos in coordination with Italian police and transferred to Larissa prison.
Italian authorities describe his behaviour as evasive and erratic. He reportedly accused Italian investigators of plotting against him and has refused to cooperate.
The investigation in Rome, led by the Flying Squad and Deputy Prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini, is ongoing. Police are also examining his three credit cards to determine whether Villa Pamphili was his only base during his time in Rome.
