Vincenzo Campanella

Homicide

2known / alleged victims (1 - 2)

Similar offenders

Gaspare Zinnanti Homicide · Italy · 1997 Gaspare Zinnanti was a man of thirty-four years of palermitane origins who was… 3 victims

Lino Renzi Homicide · Italy · 2013 Lino Renzi, aged 45, was ordered to closed psychiatric confinement on July 2013… 1 victim

Hu Wanlin Homicide · China · 1997 Hu Wanlin (胡万林), born 1949, was from Mianyang, Sichuan Province. · 1993 — While… 146 victims

Jack Kevorkian Homicide · USA · 1990 Jack Kevorkian (born May 26, 1928) was a controversial American pathologist. He… 130 victims

David Koresh Homicide · USA · 1993 David Koresh (born Vernon Wayne Howell; August 17, 1959 – April 19, 1993) led t… 79 victims

Leszec Pekalski Homicide · Poland · 1984 1984–1992 — Leszek Pękalski was believed to have killed at least 17 people. · 1… 17 victims

Random profiles

Angelica Alvarez Mass murderer · USA · 2006 Angelica Alvarez was 27 years old. She was described as an Elkhart County mothe… 4 victims

YA Yasuo Takeda Mass murderer · Japan · 2000 Yasuo Takeda was an unemployed 52-year-old man. He was a former bar owner from… 4 victims

Heinrich Pommerencke Serial killer · Germany · 1959 Heinrich Pommerencke grew up in the German village of Bentwich and lived as a l… 4 victims

JO Josefa Rodriguez Murderer · USA · 1863 Josefa “Chipita” Rodriguez was executed by hanging on November 13, 1863. She wa… 1 victim

Narcy Novack Murderer · USA · 2009 Narcy Novack (55 at conviction) · Cristobal Veliz (59 at conviction) Narcy Nova… 2 victims

Ponchai Wilkerson Murderer · USA · 1990 Ponchai Wilkerson was executed by lethal injection in Texas on March 14, 2000.… 1 victim

Case Facts

Gender: male
Country: Italy
Location: Palermo, Italy
Date of birth: September 3, 1974
Age at first offence: 16
Characteristics: juvenile, mentally ill, history of mental illness
Victim profile: Santina Renda, 6 / Maurizio Nunzio Renda, 8
Method of murder: Beating with an iron bar / Strangulation with a wire
Date(s) of murder: March 23, 1990 / February 5, 1992
Years active: 1990–1992
Date of arrest: —
Status: Imprisoned
Sentenced to 29 years in prison

Case Summary

Background

Vincenzo Campanella was a 17-year-old cousin of Santina Renda. He had mental problems and was considered mentally unstable. Santina Renda disappeared as she was playing with other children in the neighborhood where she lived with her family.

The offence

Campanella later confessed that he had hidden Santina’s body after Santina died in a motorbike accident caused by him, but he retracted his confession.

Two years later, on February 5, 1992, an 8-year-old cousin of Santina’s, Maurizio Nunzio Renda, disappeared. His body was found the same day, and he had been beaten to death with an iron bar.

Investigation

Campanella confessed that he had hidden Santina’s body. He then retracted his confession.

Trial

Campanella, after confessing his guilt, was tried summarily and sentenced to 29 years in prison.

Sentencing

He was not given a life sentence because he was considered mentally unstable.

Outcome

Santina Renda has never been found.

Other details

Victims: Santina Renda (8), Nunzio Renda (6).

Spotted an error, or have more information about this case?