Messina, woman killed by ex: house arrest without bracelet, brother: 'Why wasn't she protected?'

"My sister was afraid of him, she had already reported him multiple times. That's why he was under house arrest: they acted promptly, but why not protect the victim?", says Roberto Zinnanti, younger brother of Daniela Zinnanti.

A large family that of the 50-year-old woman, killed yesterday evening in Messina, by her ex-partner, Santino Bonfiglio, who had 5 other siblings.

In a central neighborhood, on via Lombardia, in a provincial area, where the woman lived alone.

She was found by her 23-year-old daughter, Roberta, alarmed by the fact that Daniela was no longer answering her phone. Upon entering her mother's house, she found her lifeless body, immersed in blood. The girl, seven months pregnant, had a fainting spell and was rushed to the hospital. The woman also had another child, 28 years old. Both born from a marriage that ended in 2018.

Daniele was regularly taking care of their elderly mother, who turns 86 tomorrow and still does not know about her daughter's death: "I haven't had the courage to tell her yet", Roberto shakes his head. He insists: "I told her I didn't like this, the last time he broke 7 of her ribs".

There are many reports made by the woman before her death, often withdrawn, not this last time, just a month and a half ago: "After this, a measure was applied to him that made him go off the rails, and he was constantly threatening, even via WhatsApp, now there are all the screenshot that testify to this," continues the brother.

Bonfiglio, 67 years old, a truck driver, had started a relationship with the victim in May 2025. Very little time, for multiple reports, Bonfiglio is defended by the Messina lawyer, Oleg Traclò:

"He told investigators that they had an argument, which then escalated, he claims to not remember how many stab wounds he inflicted".

Traclò has been legally representing Bonfiglio since the first reports. The man was under house arrest after the pink code was activated, following the woman's report, but he did not have an electronic bracelet, apparently due to a shortage of bracelets available to law enforcement in Messina.

«The measures were timely, in a short time, after the last report, house arrest had been implemented, but I repeat, I do not understand why at the same time the victim is not somehow protected, this is all I feel I can say,» concludes the brother.