American Man With Multiple Fake Identities Sentenced to Life for Murdering Girlfriend and Baby Daughter in Rome

An American man who used multiple identities while traveling across Europe has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his girlfriend and their 11-month-old daughter, whose bodies were discovered in a Rome park.

Francis Kaufmann, 47, was convicted on Thursday, November 5, 2026, by a court in Rome for the killings of 28-year-old Anastasia Trofimova and their infant daughter, Andromeda.

The case shocked Italy after the bodies of the young mother and child were discovered in Villa Pamphili, one of Rome’s largest public parks, in June 2025.

The discovery began when a child playing in the park spotted what appeared to be a doll beneath some bushes. It was actually the body of the infant girl. Police searching the surrounding area subsequently found her mother’s body nearby.

Both victims had been found without identification, making it difficult for investigators to establish who they were.

Forensic examinations determined that the mother had died several days before her daughter. Prosecutors argued that Kaufmann killed Trofimova first and later killed the baby.

Investigators eventually connected the victims to Kaufmann through CCTV footage, witness accounts and information provided to an Italian television program that helps solve missing-person cases.

A man who lived under several names

Kaufmann had legally changed his name to Rexal Ford in 2019. However, investigators and journalists uncovered other identities he had allegedly used while living and traveling around Europe.

In Malta, he was reportedly known as Daniel R. Foster and possessed documents under that identity. During his journey from Malta to Italy, he also used the name Matteo Capozzi.

He presented himself as a filmmaker and producer, claiming connections to major entertainment projects.

Before the killings, he had reportedly obtained nearly $1 million in Italian film tax credits for a movie project that was never made. The controversy later contributed to the resignation of a senior official in Italy’s Culture Ministry.

His escape to a Greek island

After the deaths, Kaufmann left Italy and traveled to the Greek island of Skiathos.

Investigators used passport and mobile-phone information, with assistance from the FBI, to trace his movements. He was arrested in Greece in June 2025 and subsequently extradited to Italy to face the murder charges.

Throughout the proceedings, Kaufmann denied responsibility for the deaths. He maintained that he had nothing to do with the killings and offered alternative explanations for what had happened to his partner and daughter.

The prosecution presented evidence including surveillance footage, witness testimony and a reconstruction of the family’s final movements.

The court ultimately found him guilty of the double murder and the concealment of the bodies.

Life sentence after a disturbing case

Judge Paola Roja sentenced Kaufmann to life imprisonment, including three years of solitary confinement.

His lawyer indicated that the verdict was expected to be appealed.

The case has also raised questions about earlier encounters between Kaufmann and Italian police. Prosecutors said officers had encountered him shortly before the bodies were discovered, when he was behaving erratically and carrying the baby. Police officers involved were reportedly sanctioned over their handling of those encounters.

For Trofimova and little Andromeda, the discovery in Villa Pamphili brought an end to weeks of uncertainty over their identities. Their deaths and the investigation that followed exposed a complicated trail of aliases, disputed stories and international movements.

Source:  dailymail