Italian justice system reopens investigation into the mysterious death of Pier Paolo Pasolini, murdered in 1975

Italy’s justice system has decided to reopen the investigation into the violent death of writer, director and journalist Pier Paolo Pasolini, nearly 50 years after the crime. The move was announced on Monday by lawyer Stefano Maccioni, who hopes the new investigation will definitively clarify the case.

Pasolini, aged 53, was found dead on November 2, 1975, on a beach near Rome. The artist had been brutally beaten, and his body had been run over by an Alfa Romeo GT. That same day, 17-year-old prostitute Giuseppe “Pino” Pelosi was caught driving the victim’s car and initially accepted sole responsibility.

After nearly a decade in prison, Pelosi withdrew his testimony, saying in 2005 that Pasolini had been attacked by three unidentified men with Sicilian accents. According to the lawyer, DNA tests indicated the presence of other people at the crime scene.

Maccioni is urging witnesses who have remained silent to speak out. Possible motives for the crime include blackmail, a mafia-ordered assassination or far-right involvement. Pasolini remains a controversial figure in Italian culture, known for his criticism of the bourgeoisie, the Catholic Church and neo-fascism.