Paderno Dugnano, the massacre and the ‘lucid boy’: what we know

The Paderno Dugnano massacre, with 3 murders, was committed by a 17-year-old boy described as “normal and calm” by friends and acquaintances. A young man who appeared “lucid” to investigators, to whom he explained the premeditated actions carried out during the night between Saturday and Sunday.

“He had been thinking about killing for a few days“, said the prosecutor of the juvenile court of Milan, Sabrina di Taranto. The young man tearfully confessed to having killed his 12-year-old brother and his parents, mother Daniele and father Fabio.

For over an hour and a half yesterday he told investigators and magistrates how he committed a premeditated massacre a few hours after celebrating his father’s birthday in the family villa.

The reconstruction

With a “large kitchen knife” he allegedly first attacked his brother who was sleeping in the same room. The 12-year-old “wakes up” and his screams call his parents, then, according to his confession, “he hits his mother and only when she collapses does he begin to attack his father who was trying to help the family”.

Investigators are talking about “many stab wounds, including to the neck” for each of the victimsbut the autopsy will provide more precise details. Then he called 118 and when the Carabinieri from the Paderno Dugnano station arrived, he, apparently “serene and lucid”, was sitting on the entrance wall, with his clothes still stained with blood.

“He spoke of his discomfort, of a sense of estrangement from the world. He felt different,” the prosecutor explained.It seemed very clear to ushe understood that he cannot go back from what he did.”

The motive

“From a judicial point of view we do not have a technically understood motive, from a sociological point of view several avenues are open. He also doesn’t give himself a logical explanation“, the prosecutor further explained to those who asked if the 17-year-old had explained the reasons for the massacre.

His father’s birthday, celebrated at home just a few hours earlier, “is an element that could have exacerbated a problem, it could represent a critical moment for those who are suffering” is his reflection. On the motive, therefore, we will have to dig”.

“Young people show signs of unease important especially in the aspects that concern sociality and unfortunately we can do very little because they cannot directly turn to a psychologist or psychiatric consultation”, added the prosecutor. Now, while the 17-year-old – who was constantly listening to “sad music” – becomes aware of what he confessed, “the family is closing ranks and confirming that it is very healthy”.

The friend: “He was a very calm boy”

“I saw him around, we sometimes said hello, I knew them as a quiet family,” said a former classmate of the 17-year-old in elementary and middle school. “I always thought he was a quiet boy, I didn’t expect it and this thing touched me: I knew him, I live nearby… it’s a real mess.” In front of the pedestrian gate there is a plant and a single bouquet of flowers with a note addressed to the victims: “Rest in peace.”

No other message for the family, while the coming and going of curious people continues. The house of the massacre is at the end of a closed street, outside there are the family bikes while the red and white tape surrounds what since yesterday has been the scene of a crime.