Italian court sentences Salvatore Aldobrandi to life for 1995 murder of Sargonia Dankha

LINKÖPING, Sweden — After 24 years without justice, an Italian court sentenced 75-year-old Salvatore Aldobrandi to life imprisonment for the 1995 murder of 21-year-old Sargonia Dankha. The decision brought closure to a decades-old case that had been marred by unanswered questions and persistent suspicions.

Dankha, a Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian woman, and Aldobrandi, originally from Italy, were residents of Linköping, Sweden, and had maintained a friendship for about 18 months. On 13 November 1995, Dankha disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Aldobrandi returned to Italy shortly thereafter, raising suspicions of his involvement.

Over two decades later, in 2023, Swedish police uncovered blood evidence linked to Dankha in Aldobrandi’s vehicle. Despite this discovery, the Swedish authorities were unable to secure a conviction. Determined to seek justice, Dankha’s family escalated the case to Italy. Following a year of investigations, the Italian judiciary sentenced Aldobrandi to life imprisonment.

Dankha’s grave is located in Linköping Cemetery, but her body has never been found. The court’s decision marked a historic precedent in Italy, as it involved convicting an Italian national for a crime committed outside the country, even without the recovery of the victim’s remains.

The case has captured public attention in Italy, highlighting the significance of the verdict. Dankha’s family expressed gratitude to the Italian judiciary and everyone who contributed to achieving justice.

Dankha’s mother, Ghariba Shabo, spoke about the tragedy, noting that while she knew the cause of her son’s death — he died of a heart attack a year before Dankha’s disappearance — her daughter’s murder remains a profound heartbreak.

“This verdict brings some solace,” Shabo said, “but the pain of not knowing where her body rests is unbearable.”