The man whose wife and teenage daughter died from ricin poisoning around Christmas has confessed to an affair with a married woman.
Antonella Di Ielsi and her daughter, Sara Di Vita, died after being poisoned with ricin in December 2025.
On 27 December, Antonella, 50, took Sara, 15, to hospital after her condition deteriorated.
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Doctors later told her that Sara had died. Antonella died the following day.
Investigators believe the poisoning may have occurred after a family meal in Pietracatella, Italy, on 23 December, although the precise circumstances remain unclear.
Italian media report that Gianni Di Vita, the former mayor of Pietracatella, admitted to the affair after several rounds of questioning.
He also acknowledged that his marriage had been in serious trouble for some time, as reported by Need To Know.
According to local media, Di Vita named the woman, a teacher, when investigators directly asked him about her.
She is reportedly married to a laboratory technician at an agricultural school who has also been questioned repeatedly.
Antonella had apparently confided in a friend about the marital problems years earlier.
A WhatsApp message from 2018, reportedly found on her phone by detectives, read: “Help me find a divorce lawyer.”
The friend initially failed to confirm the account when questioned by police, but reportedly did so later after being placed under investigation for aiding and abetting.
In another development, the teacher’s husband reportedly met Antonella on 22 December, the day before the date investigators consider most likely for the poisoning.
The pair are also said to have exchanged messages.
However, no one has been formally placed under investigation for the killings.
On Friday (16 October), detectives carried out a digital search at a secondary school in nearby Casacalenda, where Gianni’s cousin Laura Di Vita teaches.
Investigators collected a forensic copy of a laptop reportedly used by Laura and examined school computer systems for evidence of online searches relating to ricin.
Seven computers were reported stolen from the school between late February and early March, around the time investigators were informed that ricin had been detected in Antonella’s and Sara’s bodies.
Earlier this month, sources close to the investigation claimed Antonella and Sara had 140 times the minimum lethal dose of ricin in their bodies.
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