He admitted guilt in court over his partner’s death, surprising even his lawyer

The trial over the death of 39-year-old Ramona Rinaldi in Como, Italy, took an unexpected turn. Her partner, 35-year-old Daniele Re, pleaded guilty in court, surprising even his defense lawyer.

“I want to plead guilty and apologize to the family, the relatives, and everyone,” Re said after the presentation of evidence in the trial had concluded.

Rinaldi was found hanging in the shower stall of her home in Veniano on the morning of February 21, 2025. At the time, Daniele Re had called emergency services in the early hours of the morning and said he had woken up at around 05:00 but could not find his partner.

According to his account, he then saw the 39-year-old’s lifeless body in the bathroom. However, checks later carried out by the Carabinieri at the scene cast doubt on the circumstances of her death.

Investigators were also struck by the washing machine in the bathroom, which was running and contained various items of clothing, including Ramona’s nightshirt. They suspected the wash may have been used to destroy evidence.

Further questions arose from statements by neighbors. They said they had heard a loud noise during the night, at around 01:00, while Daniele Re said he had heard nothing. Other evidence about the time of death was reportedly obtained through the autopsy, casting doubt on the version given by the victim’s partner.

Investigators suspect a possible motive for the murder may have been Daniele Re’s fear that Ramona would decide to end their relationship. During the hearing, the prosecutor requested a new psychiatric evaluation to determine the defendant’s mental state and whether he was able to understand and control his actions at the time of the incident.

The Court of Assizes approved the request and scheduled the next hearing for December 2.