Marco Bergamo

Case overview

Marco Bergamo (detto il “mostro di Bolzano”) was a saldatore and carpentiere who was convicted for the murder of five women in Trentino, Italy, between 1985 and 1992. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Timeline

• 3 January 1985 — Marcella Casagrande, aged 15, was found dead in her home.
• 26 February 1985 — Annamaria Cipolletti was killed in the monolocale she used for her evening encounters.
• 7 January 1992 — Renate Rauch was found dead in a nearly deserted parking area.
• 21 March 1992 — Renate Troger was found dead in a piazzale; she died of strangulation and was then stabbed 14 times.
• 6 August 1992 — Marika Zorzi was killed after being hit with 28 stabbings on her birthday.
• 1994 — Bergamo was sentenced to life imprisonment.
• 2005 — Bergamo obtained a permesso premio.
• 2026-08-14 — Current status recorded as “Sentenced to life in prison in 1994”.

Background

Marco Bergamo was born in Bolzano in 1966. He had a difficult and solitary childhood. He was affected by a delay in speech and, when he was four years old, obesity and boriasis contributed to his closure toward the outside world. He was introverted, with few friends, and he cultivated hobbies such as photography, automobilism, and long walks in the mountains.

As a boy, he collected knives and kept one with him. He had average intelligence, obtained a diploma, and worked in manual jobs. The material described no criminal record for him. It also described him as “sonnambulo e erotomane” and said he had small sexual “perversions,” including stealing women’s intimate clothing.

In May 1992, when he was 26, a testicle was removed.

The process transmitted on Rai 3 was said to have had an impact on his family. His father, for shame, was said to have hanged himself.

The offence

Between 1985 and 1992, Marco Bergamo killed five women by stabbing them multiple times. The method described was that he struck his victims with various stabbings. The material described that he used knives, and that the first murder revealed he had familiarity with the use of a knife and with human anatomy.

Marcella Casagrande (15)

On 3 January 1985, Marcella Casagrande, aged 15, was found lying on the floor of her home. The material described that she was surprised from behind and received numerous stabbings. It stated that he delivered very fast blows, described “like bullets,” and that one blow reached the spinal column by cutting through the tenth vertebra. It also stated that she was then held by her hair so that her neck remained immobile while the assailant carried out the “scannamento.”

Annamaria Cipolletti (40)

Annamaria Cipolletti was the second victim and was aged 40. The material stated that during the day she taught in a middle school and, at night, she met men for payment, taking 100 to 150 thousand lire per service. She was found “scannata” by 19 knife wounds. It stated that the assailant had stolen her intimate clothing, and that there was no sexual violence.

An apunte on an agenda was quoted as: “Marco andato via”.

Renate Rauch (24)

Renate Rauch was the third victim and was aged 24. The material described her as a prostitute and said she was found dead in an almost deserted parking area. A few days later, a bouquet of flowers with a note was found on her grave. The note was quoted as: “Mi spiace ma quello che ho fatto, doveva essere fatto e tu lo sapevi: ciao Renate! Firmato M.M.”

The material stated that investigators hypothesized that the double “M” was a bold repetition of Marco’s name.

Renate Troger (18)

Renate Troger was the fourth victim and was aged 18. On 21 March 1992, she was found dead in a piazzale. The material stated that she died of strangulation, was then “sgozzata,” and had 14 knife wounds inflicted on her body. It also stated that some of the wounds reached the lungs.

A doctor, Giovanni Bonan of the University of Padua, was quoted as saying: “Ritengo principale la morte per strangolamento-disse il dottor Giovanni Bonan dell'Università di Padova.-Poi c'è stato lo scannamento, infine sono stati inferti 14 colpi. Alcuni di essi hanno toccato i polmoni”.

Marika Zorzi (18)

Marika Zorzi was the fifth and last victim and was also a prostitute aged 18. The material stated that she was “scaricata agonizzante sul ciglio di una strada” after being struck by 28 stabbings. It stated that the date was 6 August 1992, described as Bergamo’s birthday, and said he had wanted to celebrate “in his own way.”

At the process, her mother Bertilla was quoted as saying: “Quello lì compiva 26 anni. E' uscito armato. E ha voluto farsi un regalo di compleanno:la mia bambina”.

Investigation and arrest

The material described that Marco Bergamo was arrested shortly after his last crime. It said that during the trial his true personality emerged.

Trial

The material described that Bergamo confessed only three of the five murders. It also described that, during the trial, a prostitute testified and recounted that he asked to sell intimate underwear.

A prostitute at trial was quoted as saying: “ mi spogliava e basta, mi chiedeva di vendergli la biancheria intima, ma non potevo tornare a casa nuda ”.

Bergamo’s confessions and statements

Bergamo’s “reo confesso” status for some killings was described as confession for three murders and denial for two.

Marika Zorzi confession (as described)

The material quoted Bergamo as saying, in relation to Marika Zorzi: “Marika Zorzi, visto che avevo solo un testicolo, non voleva continuare, le ho chiesto di ridarmi i soldi ma lei si è messa ad urlare, le ho dato due schiaffi, mi ha aggredito dicendomi di essere un figlio di puttana, solo questo ricordo”.

The material further quoted him as continuing: “ Con Renate Rauch ci sono andato solo per uscire dalla monotonia, invece di Marcella Casagrande ricordo solo che avevo le punte delle dite sporche di sangue, mi sono alzato e sono uscito ”.

Case of Renate Rauch and Marcella Casagrande (as described)

The material described that Bergamo declared himself a “reo confesso” for other crimes while stating he was estraneo to the offences against Cipolletti and Troger. The confessional statements for the mentioned victims were included above.

Denials described in court

The material stated that Bergamo declared himself “estraneo ai delitti Cipolletti e Troger” and “reo confesso” for the other three. It also quoted Bergamo on the two denials:

• On Renate Troger, the content described strangulation and stabbings, but the quoted confessions for Troger were not provided.
• On the denial for Cipolletti and Troger, the material explicitly stated his estrangement without quoting direct words about those two victims.

Relationship and motives described in court testimony

The material described that Bergamo was feared by women and that there were no female friendships. It described one romantic relationship between 1990 and 1991 that lasted 7 months and said there were no sexual relations. It quoted him as saying: “ lei non mi ha mai toccato nelle parti intime ed io avevo paura di un suo rifiuto ”.

The material quoted Bergamo’s hatred toward women: “ La donna è proprio un essere ignobile, egoista, una persona che usa l'uomo, come l'uomo fuma una sigaretta ”.

It also stated that he described a fixation on the night and on dreams.

The material reproduced Bergamo’s quoted dream-related statements: “ Questa notte per esempio le ho dovuto mettere una bomba in bocca per ucciderla, 2 caricatori non sono bastati ”. “ Nei sogni, quando colpisco le donne, lo faccio al cuore e alla testa: si uccidono meglio, si centrano gli organi vitali .”

Sentencing

Marco Bergamo was convicted and was condemned to life imprisonment (“ergastolo”). The material recorded that in 1994 he was sentenced to life in prison.

It also described that in 2005 he obtained a permesso premio, which was said to have shocked the country.

Mental health and expert evidence

An accurate psychiatric examination was described as leading to a recognition that although his mind was strongly disturbed, he was capable of understanding and willing at the time of the murders.

The material described that in the course of the inquiry there had been a dispute between experts. It stated that at first Professor Introna had recognized a semi-impaired mental state, but at trial the assize court ordered a new expert assessment by a panel of high profile, and the panel decided the defendant should be considered sane.

Professor Introna was quoted as expressing conviction that even if he continued to deny, Bergamo had also killed Cipolletti and Troger: “Per il modus operandi e la tipologia della vittima. Dopo aver ucciso la prima volta volta, ha scoperto in sè qualcosa di cui forse ha avuto paura. Si è spaventato di se stesso. E' tipo dottor Jekill e mister Hyde:lui cambia, si spaventa d'essere cambiato, poi ritorna quello che era”.

The material stated that other experts wrote that Bergamo reached “perversione estrema,” describing homicide for enjoyment, and also that the act satisfied his pleasure and destroyed the feared and hated object.

The perizia (professors Ponti, Fornari e Bruno) was quoted as: “Bergamo è giunto alla perversione estrema: l'omicidio per godimento. Dopo il primo assassinio ha scoperto che uccidendo appagava il suo piacere e nello stesso tempo distruggeva l'oggetto temuto e odiato:la donna”.

Aftermath

The material described that Marco Bergamo could request the “semilibertà” and asked about the possibility of his return to society. It said that a prosecutor Guido Rispoli stated: “E’ ancora molto pericoloso”.

It quoted the mother of Marcella Casagrande, Maurizia Mazzotta Spitaler, as asking that the 13 December court not reduce the “three years of isolation” that Bergamo had yet to serve.

The material described that Bergamo had been imprisoned behind bars since the summer of 1992. It said that with the abatements provided for serving time on a life sentence (45 days of “sconto” every six months), he could claim to have served 20 years of custody by August the following year.

It stated that under article 176 of the criminal code, a life-sentenced person could be admitted to conditional release after 26 years spent in prison, but that release was an opportunity not a right, and depended on proof of reformation and not being socially dangerous.

It quoted Guido Rispoli again as explaining the reasons for the killings: “Uccideva con il coltello perchè non riusciva ad avere un rapporto normale con le donne - puntualizza il magistrato - Le uccideva sempre con una ventina di coltellate all’altezza del petto. Secondo i periti era un modo per mimare l’atto sessuale. Era nato con questo deficit strutturale ed era spinto a risolvere con il coltello la sua incapacità sessuale. Oltre alle donne uccise e alle loro famiglie, tra le vittime inserirei lo stesso Bergamo, vittima di se stesso. Proprio per questo è da considerare ancora oggi molto pericoloso”.

When asked whether he admitted the dysfunction, the material quoted: “No, mai. Nel corso degli interrogatori ha sempre cercato di giustificare i suoi delitti con le azioni delle vittime. Marcella Casagrande fu colpita perchè aveva respinto un suo approccio, le due prostitute perchè lo avevano deriso o disprezzato”.

When asked if he would have been curable, it stated: “Non lo so. Era probabilmente difficile accorgersi in tempo della disfunzione. Bergamo conduceva una vita normale, anche sul lavoro era scrupoloso ed irreprensibile”.

It also described discussion of his mental state as “sano di mente,” including a debate among experts and the final decision of the assize court after a new expert panel.

When asked about danger, Guido Rispoli was quoted as saying: “Certo. E’ realmente preoccupante la prospettiva che Bergamo possa un giorno ottenere qualche provvedimento in grado di rimetterlo a piede libero. Finchè avrà pulsioni sessuali il pericolo che torni ad uccidere resta attuale ed altissimo. Soltanto se si fosse certi che non avverte più pulsiosi sessuali si potrebbe modificare la valutazione sulla sua pericolosità sociale. Anche in questo caso, però, nessuno potrebbe avere la certezza che, a seguito di questa sua personalità distorta, non provi comunque un’inclinazione ad andare ad accoltellare una donna. Anche se nel corso di tutta la vicenda processuale non mi ha mai dato l’impressione di essere un sadico. Non ha mai ripercorso i momenti dei delitti con piacere. Anzi nelle descrizioni era sfuggente...”.

The material also stated that Bergamo had not been considered a sadist and had not relived the murders with pleasure in his descriptions.

Other details

The material described Bergamo as having collected knives since about the age of thirteen, keeping them hidden in a drawer. It quoted his father as saying: “La passione per i coltelli gli era nata verso i tredici anni, poi si era sviluppata e ingigantita. Li teneva nascosti in un cassetto. Non immaginavo che li adoperasse per quello che ha fatto”.

The material said Bergamo believed the knife gave him a sense of protection, “almost a second brother.”

It described that his sexual content and behavior included pornographic journals, masturbation, and intimate clothing as substitutes for a relationship with the other sex.

Bergamo’s statements about women and his fear were quoted: “I giornalini pornografici, le masturbazioni e gli indumenti intimi sono diventati il sostituto del rapporto con l'altro sesso, ma il mio incubo è stato più la donna che la vagina. La donna mi ha fatto sempre paura:paura di non essere all'altezza. Questa paura si è trasformata in odio quando ho pensato che una donna mi avvelenato il cane... Era il mio compagno di solitudine, l'amico che non ho mai avuto. La morte del cane mi ha sconvolto. Così ho incominciato a odiare tutte le donne”.

It also quoted Bergamo about being rejected at school: “Si era sentito "rifutare dalle compagne di scuola già alle elementari. C'era anche l'inesperienza nel comunicare: mi facevano paura, loro mi sembravano più spigliate, mentre io mi sentivo imbranato... ”.

The material included additional claims about his conduct and fantasies, stating that after rejection he punished women, especially prostitutes, and described a “modus vivendi” involving collections of pornography, exhibitionism from his window, obscene phone calls to women, and voyeurism toward prostitutes.

It also contained a quoted question-and-answer framing about whether killing was connected to women considered “easy,” and quoted the expert view that killing represented extreme sadistic perversion and the strongest way to possess the woman.

Finally, the material included an additional dream statement: “Questa notte, per esempio, le ho dovuto mettere una bomba in bocca oer ucciderla. Due caricatori non sono bastati”.

It stated that Bergamo had been behind bars since the summer of 1992 and suggested a possibility to seek semilibertà, while noting that prosecutor Guido Rispoli warned that he remained very dangerous.