THE DISCOVERY IN CAPRANICA

Capranica Prenestina, a small, quiet town outside Rome, Italy, was the setting for a horrific discovery on April 2, 2025. Hikers noticed a foul-smelling, abandoned suitcase near the road, prompting an immediate call to authorities.

The contents of the suitcase were soon identified as the body of Ilaria Salaj, a 22-year-old statistics student at La Sapienza University. Her body was already in an advanced state of decomposition.

Ilaria, who moved to Italy from Albania with her family, was known as a bright and social student. Her parents, who spoke to her daily, grew frantic when Ilaria vanished after leaving her apartment on March 25.

The family filed a missing person report after receiving suspicious text messages, which they suspected were not from her.

The immense public pressure and the clear signs of foul play led authorities to quickly identify and arrest the perpetrator: Mark Anthony Samson, a 23-year-old Filipino health worker.

THE OBSESSIVE MOTIVE

Samson, whose parents were long-time Filipino workers in Italy, was Ilaria’s ex-boyfriend. Their year-long relationship had recently ended. Samson, who could not accept the breakup, grew increasingly possessive and obsessed, often checking Ilaria’s social media.

The fatal confrontation occurred on March 26. Samson, who managed to convince Ilaria to meet him at his parents’ apartment under false pretenses, became enraged when he saw a message from another man on her phone from the dating app Tinder.

Consuming jealousy drove Samson to violence. He used a knife to inflict multiple stab wounds, focusing on the neck. The autopsy later confirmed that Ilaria succumbed to hemorrhagic shock from the wounds.

Samson confessed that after the fatal act, he wrapped Ilaria’s body, placed it into a large suitcase, and transported it in his car before dumping it on a toll road near Poli. He then attempted a complex cover-up to evade capture.

THE MOTHER’S COMPLICITY

The case took a horrifying turn when investigators discovered that Samson’s mother, a nurse, was not only present but had helped her son conceal the crime. After hours of intense interrogation, the mother confessed to helping Samson wrap the body and meticulously clean the apartment to destroy evidence.

The court document revealed that Samson’s mother, despite her distaste for Ilaria, was driven by the desire to protect her only son. She aided him in placing the body in the suitcase and moving it to the car using a trolley.

Samson’s desperate attempt to cover his tracks included taking Ilaria’s cell phone and using it to pose as her, texting her father that she was fine and would return later. He also met with Ilaria’s friends, feigning concern and discussing her “problems” with her ex-boyfriend (himself).

This calculated deception made the case more challenging, but forensic evidence and the mother’s confession were undeniable.

JUSTICE AND CONVICTION

Mark Anthony Samson was charged with aggravated voluntary homicide and concealment of a body. His mother was charged with complicity in the concealment of the body.

The judge rejected the defense’s attempt to claim the crime was a “crime of passion,” arguing that the disposal of the body and the subsequent manipulation proved a deliberate attempt to escape accountability.

The prosecutor successfully argued that Samson’s actions—including manipulating the victim’s social media—were characteristic of a psychopath.

After the trial, both Samson and his mother appealed their case. The Supreme Court of Italy, noting the heinous nature of the crime and the calculated attempt at deceit, eventually upheld the guilty verdict against Samson.

The case resonated widely in Italy and the Philippines, highlighting the vulnerability of young women in transnational relationships and the extreme lengths to which parents will go to protect their children from the consequences of their actions.