Police descend on Marsascala for clues on Rome murder suspect
The suspect’s time in Malta might offer crucial insights
Police officers on Tuesday descended on a relatively quiet Marsascala street, where an American who is suspected of having killed his wife and baby lived for a few months.
The officers, reportedly part of a joint Maltese and Italian investigative effort, were seen knocking on the door of the apartment Francis Kaufmann is believed to have occupied for some months between 2023 and 2024.
The 46-year-old American man – who was initially identified as Rexal Ford – was arrested in Greece last week in connection with a grim discovery – the bodies of a young woman and her months-old baby, which were found in Rome’s Villa Pamphili earlier this month.
The woman and the baby are yet to be identified but Times of Malta confirmed on Monday that Kaufmann resided at the Marsascala address with a valid residence permit for a few months.
Times of Malta yesterday noticed investigators meticulously canvassing the area, speaking to neighbours, employees at a nearby supermarket, staff at a local pharmacy and even pedestrians on the street.
The primary objective of their inquiries was to gather any shred of information that could help build a more comprehensive profile of Kaufmann and his family during their time in Malta.
Times of Malta also asked neighbours and people on the street and in shops whether they remembered the man living in the neighbourhood. Most of them said they had no recollection of him, but one woman said she vaguely remembered him when she was shown a photo.
Investigators in Malta, Italy and Greece are currently trying to piece together the circumstances leading to the tragic deaths in Rome.
They are hoping that Kaufmann’s time in Malta, however brief, might offer crucial insights into his character, relationships, and any potential indicators of the violence that allegedly unfolded in Italy.
International media reports saying he married the woman in Malta and that the baby was born in Malta, however, are yet to be confirmed.
The man’s true identity, Francis Kaufmann, was only revealed by the Italian media on Monday afternoon, correcting earlier reports that had named him as Rexal Ford.
International news reports said investigators are combing through Maltese hospital and civil records to identify the victims and confirm their relationship to the man.
The reports say investigations quickly pointed to Kaufmann, who had reportedly been seen with the woman and child in Rome in the days leading up to the tragedy.