Woman and baby murder suspect in Rome resided in Malta for a few months
American national arrested in Greece, with investigators looking into Malta connection
Updated 9.55pm
An American man who resided in Malta for a few months has been arrested in Greece in connection with the discovery of a woman and her infant daughter found dead in Rome's Villa Pamphili park earlier this month.
'Rexal Ford' - a name Italian media say is a pseudonym - was apprehended on the Greek island of Skiathos last week, following a European arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities.
According to Italian media, the 46-year-old man's real name is Francis Kaufmann.
The grim discovery unfolded six days before, on June 7, when the bodies of the young woman and her months-old baby were found in one of Rome's most frequented public spaces.
The woman and the baby are yet to be identified.
Times of Malta confirmed 'Ford' resided at a Marsascala address with a valid residence permit for a few months between 2023 and 2024, before he left the country.
International media reports saying he married the woman in Malta and that the baby was born in Malta, however, could not be confirmed.
The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a case that has gripped Italy, with investigators now piecing together a complex narrative involving mysterious identities and an international search for answers.
The arrest paves the way for Ford's extradition to Italy, where he is the primary suspect in what is being considered a double murder. Video footage of his arrest has circulated, showing authorities detaining him in a joint operation.
Italian media Rai News, La Repubblica and Il Corriere della Sera, among others, reported Monday that Ford’s real name is, in fact, Francis Kaufmann, with ‘Rexal Ford’ a fake name he was using.
La Repubblica also released what it described as an audio message that he sent to an aquaintance in Rome last week.
In the audio, a man - believed to be Kaufmann - can be heard saying his wife left him for her former partner because the man is richer, and that she does not want to be a mother anymore.
He also said he was looking for a place to stay with his baby.
Malta link
International news reports said investigators are combing through Maltese hospital and civil records in an attempt to identify the victims and confirm their relationship to Ford.
The reports say investigations quickly pointed to Ford, who had reportedly been seen with the woman and child in Rome in the days leading up to the tragedy.
Disturbing new evidence has also emerged, including a photograph reportedly taken on June 5, just two days before the bodies were found, showing Ford holding the infant near Villa Pamphili.
Police had reportedly been called to the scene by a concerned passerby who heard the baby crying. Investigators now believe the mother may have already been dead at that time, raising chilling questions about the circumstances surrounding the child's final days.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working to reconstruct the couple's last movements in Italy, comb through financial transactions, and definitively identify the woman and child.
The anticipated extradition of Rexal Ford from Greece is expected to shed more light on this tragic and perplexing case.