A devoted husband decided to stand by his wife even though she allegedly stabbed his mother to death, then sat on her body and smoked a cigarette.
Suspect Laura Di Dio, 32, admitted to killing her 62-year-old mother in law, Margherita Margani, by stabbing her with a knife and scissors multiple times at the victim’s home in the town of Pietraperzia, located on the Italian island of Sicily on 4th February.
Di Dio, who lived only a few feet away from Margherita, knocked on the victim’s door that morning to borrow some coffee.
It is believed the two got in an argument while standing in the kitchen, and it soon culminated with Di Dio stabbing her to death.
Relatives entered the home soon after and shockingly found Di Dio sitting on the victim’s body while casually smoking a cigarette.
She remained that way until police arrived and took her into custody.
Di Dio reportedly confessed to the murder but claimed it was in self-defence.
And her husband, Francesco Arnone – who she has two children with – claims Di Dio has been struggling with mental issues and will not abandon her side.
Francesco said: “She didn’t want to be treated, we had been living in hell for a year and a half.
“I did everything for her, even when she started to show depressive disorders. She got up at night and slept very little, ate when she felt like it.
“We consulted a doctor but she didn’t take medicine.
“For some time I hadn’t left her alone with our children because I was afraid she might hurt them. In recent days I had thought of going to a specialist.
“But I love my wife”.
But the prosecution is reportedly not buying into the act after considering the brutality with which Di Dio killed her mother-in-law.
Her defence lawyer, Salvatore Timpanaro, asked for a psychiatric exam to determine if she is fit to stand trial.
Timpanaro said: “We have decisive documentation to support her total mental breakdown. Di Dio is incapable of understanding and of will, and for this reason, her husband, Francesco Arnone, has openly sided in her defence.”
According to what was reiterated by the lawyer, the man will not ask for a divorce from the woman who is the mother of his children.
