American Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering Partner and Infant Daughter in Rome

An Italian court has sentenced an American man to life imprisonment for the murder of his Russian partner and their infant daughter, a case that drew widespread attention in Italy. The Rome court found Francis Kaufmann guilty of killing Anastasia Trofimova, 28, and their 11-month-old daughter, Andromeda, whose bodies were discovered in a park in the city in June 2025.

According to prosecutors, Trofimova was killed first in early June 2025. CCTV footage later showed Kaufmann carrying the child toward Villa Pamphili park and returning about an hour later without her. Kaufmann left Italy shortly afterward and was arrested on the Greek island of Skiathos.

The defense argued that there was no direct evidence linking Kaufmann to the killings, with lawyer Paolo Foti telling the court that the case rested on circumstantial evidence. However, the panel of two professional judges and six lay judges found him guilty and handed down a life sentence, including three years of daytime solitary confinement.

Trofimova, originally from Siberia, met Kaufmann in Malta during a vacation in 2023. Their daughter was born in June 2024, and the family later moved to Rome. Kaufmann, who also used the name Rexal Ford, presented himself as a film director or producer.

Police initially faced difficulty in identifying the mother and child after their bodies were found within hours of each other on June 7, 2025.