Italian Ambulance Driver Under Investigation for Murder of Five Elderly Patients
Prosecutors in the northern Italian city of Forlì have launched a criminal investigation into a 27-year-old ambulance driver suspected of murdering five elderly patients. The suspect, who worked for the Italian Red Cross, has been suspended from duty as authorities examine the shocking allegations.
Suspicious Deaths During Routine Medical Transports
All five suspicious deaths occurred while or shortly after the patients were being transported in ambulances driven by the 27-year-old man. According to lawyers representing victims' families, the patients suffered cardiac arrests during what should have been routine transfers between hospitals and care facilities in the Emilia-Romagna region.
Investigative sources told state news agency ANSA that authorities believe the driver may have administered harmful substances to the patients during these medical transports. The investigation is examining additional cases, raising concerns that the number of potential victims could increase as the inquiry expands.
Timeline of the Alleged Crimes
The most recent case under investigation involves an 85-year-old woman who died of cardiac arrest in November 2025. The four other suspicious deaths date back to February of the same year. All patients were transported in ambulances operated from Forlimpopoli, near Forlì.
"Only one died in the ambulance; the others passed away in the days that followed, in one case as long as 13 days after the transfer," said Gloria Parigi, the suspect's lawyer, who maintains her client's innocence.
How the Investigation Unfolded
For months, relatives of the deceased patients believed their loved ones had died from natural causes related to pre-existing medical conditions. It was only when one family requested an autopsy that suspicions began to emerge about the circumstances surrounding these deaths.
Max Starni and Massimo Mambelli, lawyers representing the family of the November victim, explained: "It is important to stress that these are not ordinary ambulances with sirens blaring for patients rushing to hospital. These ambulances are generally used for routine transport ... for example taking patients from a care home to hospital for an appointment. That is why there are only two drivers on board, and no nurse."
Legal Proceedings and Organizational Response
Prosecutors have placed the driver under formal investigation for aggravated murder, alleging premeditation and the use of poisonous substances or other insidious means. The suspect has not been arrested or placed in custody but has made himself available to prosecutors.
The Italian Red Cross learned of the investigation four days ago and immediately suspended the driver. In an official statement, the organization expressed shock at the allegations and emphasized that such actions were "entirely alien to the mission of our association in Italy and around the world, and to the work of the 150,000 volunteers who every day support those in need."
The suspect's lawyer told la Repubblica that her client denies all allegations and is "deeply shaken" by the accusations. She noted that all five patients were elderly and terminally ill, and that medical response vehicles had intervened during each transport when respiratory crises occurred.
As the investigation continues, authorities are examining whether additional cases might be connected to the suspended ambulance driver, with prosecutors working to determine the exact methods and motivations behind these alleged crimes.
