Edward Marchesi On November 10, 2026, the second level of trial began against Giampiero Gualandi , former commander of the Anzola dell'Emilia local police, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first instance for the aggravated voluntary homicide of Sofia Stefani . The victim, a 33-year-old female traffic police officer, was shot on May 16, 2024, in the commander's office, inside the Anzola headquarters.
The defense, represented by Lorenzo Valgimigli and Claudio Benenati , maintained from the beginning that the shooting was accidental, but the first-instance judges considered the evidence to the contrary sufficient for a conviction.
Decision of the Court of Assizes of Appeal of Bologna
Presided over by magistrate Domenico Stigliano , the Court of Appeal decided not to reopen the preliminary investigation, rejecting in their entirety the five requests for new expert reports presented by the defense.
The prosecution, led by Attorney General Ciro Cascone and Deputy Prosecutor Massimiliano Rossi , emphasized that there was no doubt about the defendant's intent to kill his colleague, asking the court to continue with its closing arguments. The judge thus confirmed the prosecution's case, maintaining the ongoing investigation into intent in the crime.
The requests for expert opinions rejected by the defense
The defense lawyers requested five specific tests: a ballistics analysis of the weapon, a psychiatric evaluation of Gualandi's mental state, a genetic analysis to verify DNA traces, a fingerprint analysis of the defendant's shoe, and a forensic examination of the wound. The Prosecutor General's Office and the civil parties firmly opposed these requests, arguing that the analyses had already been exhaustively evaluated by the first instance court and that further studies would only needlessly prolong the proceedings.
The Court's reasons for refusal
In justifying its decision, the Court emphasized that the requested expert reports could not alter the overall assessment of the evidence, already consolidated by the prosecution's reconstruction. In particular, the magistrate emphasized that the 202 seconds it took Gualandi to call 118 after the shot contradicted his statement of immediate action, a factor deemed crucial in demonstrating the lack of accidental intent.
Key elements of the prosecution's indictment
During the closing argument, the prosecution emphasized several key facts: Gualandi allegedly took the pistol from the gun safe "without any duty-related reason," with the magazine already inserted, a factor inconsistent with the defense's version that the weapon had been taken for cleaning. Furthermore, the defense had promised Stefani that he would be appointed deputy commander if Gualandi returned to command, a promise interpreted by the first-instance judge as a form of manipulation . Attorney Cascone stated that Gualandi "had a lot to lose" and that his story had been "prepared" and then contradicted by the evidence.
Reactions from civil parties and families
The victim's parents, Bruno Stefani and Angela Querzè , were present in court . The mother called the killing a femicide , alleging double manipulation at both a professional and personal level. The mayor of Anzola, Paolo Iovino , represented the municipality, a civil party in the trial. The prosecution's closing arguments will continue on November 19th, when the civil parties' lawyers will also be heard; the defense will present its arguments on December 10th, with the possibility of an appeal ruling immediately thereafter.