In Rome’s Villa Pamphili park on Saturday, June 7, 2025, a police officer passes by an area cordoned off for forensic police work where the bodies of an infant and the infant’s mother were discovered. A 46-year-old American man, identified as Francis Kaufmann, faced a preliminary legal hearing in Rome after being extradited to Italy. Kaufmann, previously known as Rexal Ford and Matteo Capozzi, was extradited from Greece over the weekend. The preliminary hearing took place in Rome’s Rebibbia prison on Tuesday, where Kaufmann chose not to answer questions or respond to the charges against him. Represented by lawyer Carlo Ludovico Favino, Kaufmann was questioned by investigating judge Flavia Costantini and Rome prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini.
The bodies of Anastasia Trofimova and her 11-month-old baby were discovered separately in Rome’s Villa Pamphili park, with the baby having been starved and strangled. Trofimova’s cause of death remains undetermined. The victims’ identities were unknown until an Italian TV show highlighted Trofimova’s tattoos, identified by her mother in Moscow. Trofimova had met Kaufmann, known as Rexal Ford, in Malta, where she studied English. Kaufmann, denying involvement in the murders, was arrested on June 13 on the Greek island of Skiathos. Italian police found his DNA on the bag containing Trofimova’s body and plan to conduct DNA testing to establish paternity of the baby.
Kaufmann, presenting himself as a film producer and screenwriter, used the alias Rexal Ford to scout movie locations in Rome. Italian police reported that Kaufmann, Trofimova, and the baby lived rough in Rome’s parks, despite Kaufmann having multiple credit cards and dining at expensive restaurants with potential film investors. CNN’s Antonia Mortensen contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters, visit CNN.com.
