A Romanian man was sentenced in Italy to 14 years and two months for the murder of a man who was stabbed more than 50 times

A Romanian man, Cleo Koludra Ștefănescu, was sentenced at first instance to 14 years and two months in prison for killing a 42-year-old Italian man in Vigevano, in the province of Pavia. The sentence was handed down by the Pavia Court after a trial conducted under an expedited procedure.

The crime took place at around 4:30 a.m. on May 6, 2025, in the courtyard of the victim Luca Leone’s home on Corso Novara. According to investigators, the two men were involved in a dispute over payment for a quantity of cocaine valued at approximately €80,000. Ștefănescu claimed that he had been threatened and had gone to recover the money, without intending to kill.

The dispute escalated, and Leone was stabbed more than 50 times with a kitchen knife. Carabinieri found the Romanian man at the scene with the weapon in his possession, while the victim was pronounced dead by medical personnel.

Ștefănescu admitted to the crime. Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence, but the procedure chosen allowed the sentence to be reduced by one-third. His lawyer announced that he would not appeal.