A high‑profile criminal case unfolding in southern Spain has drawn attention across Europe after prosecutors formally asked a court to impose a 22‑year prison sentence on an Italian man accused of murdering his partner — a young woman of Albanian origin — and hiding her body for nearly nine years.
Victim: A Woman Missing Since 2014
The case centers on Sibora Gagani, a 22‑year‑old woman who disappeared in Torremolinos, Malaga, Spain, in July 2014. For nearly a decade her whereabouts remained unknown, deeply distressing her family in Italy and Albania.
According to court filings and media reports, Spanish prosecutors allege that Gagani was stabbed multiple times by her then‑partner Marco Romeo, an Italian national, during an argument between 7 and 14 July 2014. Investigators say Romeo inflicted at least four knife wounds, three of them in the back, before hiding her body inside the family home.
Hiding the Crime for Years
Rather than reporting the incident, the accused is alleged to have concealed the young woman’s remains inside a wooden structure built within the attic of the apartment they shared. Materials including wood, plastic bags, sand and possibly lime were reportedly used in an attempt to seal the space and mask smells. For years, Romeo maintained the deception — even filing a missing‑person notification while pretending to assist with the inquiry.
The case stalled for years until 2023, when Romeo was arrested in connection with the killing of another partner. During his detention in May 2023, he indicated to police where Gagani’s remains might be located. A targeted search in June that year led officers to discover her body in the concealed attic cavity.
Prosecutors’ Demand: 22 Years’ Imprisonment
In court documents filed this week, Spanish prosecutors recommended a combined 22‑year sentence, comprised of 20 years for murder and two additional years for the prolonged concealment of the body and the moral harm caused. They also seek financial compensation for the victim’s surviving family — approximately €198,000 to Gagani’s mother.
The events have reignited discussions in Albanian media and communities abroad about violence against women and the plight of migrants who relocate in search of work and relationships. For many in Albania and the diaspora, the crime stands as a chilling reminder of the dangers faced by vulnerable individuals overseas.
Ongoing Proceedings
The trial is ongoing, and court hearings in Spain are expected to continue in the coming weeks as both prosecution and defense present evidence and testimony. The outcome will be closely watched by human rights advocates and legal observers across both Spain and Albania.