A 65-year-old Colombian woman named Marta Castano Torres lived in an upscale apartment in central Rome. She reportedly worked in the sex industry, and her 18-year-old daughter, who used the alias Yessenia, offered services online. On November 17, Marta was found dead at her home where she hosted clients. In the same day, two other Asian sex workers were killed nearby with similar methods: their throats and chests were slashed with knives. Italian authorities arrested a suspect tied to the Neapolitan organized crime network, Giandavide De Pau, who has known links to the Camorra.
The investigation in Rome continues to unfold and remains shrouded in uncertainty. It is not yet clear what motivated De Pau to kill the three women, and there is little information from witnesses about the events. Police recovered video footage from De Pau’s phone showing the killings, along with fingerprints and DNA found at the crime scenes.
Speculation and Public Attention
Beyond the murders themselves, the case has drawn national attention due to the possibility of a serial killer operating in the area. Lawmakers and prosecutors have considered the scenario that multiple, unsolved murders of sex workers may be linked through a common perpetrator. The heightened scrutiny has turned a crime story into a topic of national concern in Italy.
Another dimension involves the broader issue of sexual exploitation and trafficking, particularly affecting foreign workers in central districts. Prati, where the crimes occurred, is not a random neighborhood. It is one of Rome’s most affluent areas, home to landmark institutions such as the Justice Palace, where the Italian Supreme Court of Appeals sits. Media coverage recently suggested that some individuals in the judiciary might have social or professional ties to the sex trade in the area, provoking debate about ethical boundaries and the impact on reform efforts.
From Street Work to Domestic Setups
In recent years, experts note a growing trend in the exploitation of migrant women, with criminal networks shifting operations from the streets to private apartments. The profitability of such arrangements has been documented by researchers and sociologists. A prominent analysis from La Sapienza University in Rome reported large scales of sex work confined to residential spaces, with thousands of apartments and many more rooms adapted for illicit activity. The shift to apartment-based work has complicated oversight and increased difficulty for authorities to track victims and perpetrators.
Further context comes from testimonies about the victims themselves. One witness described the murdered Asian woman as having amber-toned skin, long black hair, and distinctive dental features. This description fed into ongoing debates about the role of patrons and systemic factors in the exploitation of migrant workers. The case continues to raise questions about how society addresses trafficking, protects vulnerable populations, and ensures accountability for those who profit from exploitation.