The Monster of Florence: Who was Barbara Locci in real life and what happened to her? Disturbing details explored

The Monster of Florence | Image Via: Netflix
The Monster of Florence | Image Via: Netflix

The Monster of Florence is taking the internet by storm. The thrilling storytelling and chilling atmosphere of this series are definitely not for the faint-hearted. It is the newest true crime series, which takes the viewers through the real incidents of murders. These murders took place between the years 1968 and 1985. This series comes with a distinct layer of intrigue.

Amongst the total of sixteen victims that the murderer of The Monster of Florence targeted, Barbara Locci was one of the first. Her death marked the start of a chain of murders that happened through the years and became a case that, to this day, haunts the world.


What happened to the real Barbara Locci from The Monster of Florence?

Barbara Locci, in real life, was the first murder victim of this case. Her murder happened in the year 1968. She was murdered along with her lover, Antonio Lo Bianco. Antonio Lo Bianco was from Palermo. Locci hailed from Villasalto. After growing up, she got married to Stefano Mele. However, their marriage was not in a healthy condition.

It was alleged that Locci had a few extramarital affairs. After Locci's death, her husband, Stefano Pele, was arrested as he was the prime suspect in the case. Initially, Pele claimed not to be involved with the murder. However, soon he confessed to his crimes. He changed his statements multiple times.

The Monster of Florence | Image Via: Netflix
The Monster of Florence | Image Via: Netflix

After Stefano Pele’s arrest, the case seemed to have come to a conclusion. However, soon things got complicated. The case then took quite a sinister turn. Murders with a similar modus operandi began to happen. Francesco Vinci was arrested soon. Vinci was also one of Barbara’s lovers.

Murders in the later years took place at a time when Pele was in prison. Hence, it could be understood that he was not the murderer. After Francesco Vinci and his brothers were arrested, the investigation was not fruitful. They were released due to the lack of evidence. The Monster of Florence murder case was truly something that left the world in wonder.

Multiple people were arrested for the case; however, no proper conclusion could be found. Stefano Mele’s brother, Giovanni Mele, was also detained for the murder case. Along with him, Piero Mucciarini was also detained. The case was further complicated by the multiple murders that kept happening. Soon, the focus shifted to Pietro Pacciani.

The Monster of Florence | Image Via: Netflix
The Monster of Florence | Image Via: Netflix

Pietro Pacciani was a farmer, but he had a past of assault. He was also involved in sexual violence cases. Just like Vinci, the lack of evidence in Pacciani’s case led him to be acquitted. Lack of evidence became a crucial aspect of this case, which led to the case getting more and more complicated with the passing time. Before Pacciani could get a retrial, he died of a heart attack.

Giancarlo Lotti and Mario Vanni were the alleged accomplices who were related to Pietro Pacciani. They were questioned about the case, but their words were inconsistent. Both of them then died in prison. Barbara Locci’s death ended up becoming a pivotal point in a controversial case in history.

Even today, after years of multiple trials, convictions, and the death of the suspects, a proper answer is yet to be found. Locci’s death becomes the foundation for all the different types of theories that are still being discussed even today. Her story is truly haunting.


For more such interesting pieces, stay tuned to Soap Central.

Edited by KOUSHIKI ROY