Ashley Ann Olsen
Died 8 January 2016
Who they were
Ashley was an American artist from Florida. She moved to Florence in 2014 to study art and live near her father, who taught at an American school. She lived in the Oltrarno/Santo Spirito neighbourhood. Her family publicly defended her character against speculative media coverage after her death.
What happened
In the early hours of 8 January 2016, Ashley was strangled in her Florence apartment. She was found on 9 January. DNA at the scene linked a Senegalese man living illegally in Italy to the killing. A Florence court sentenced him to 30 years in prison (December 2016); the sentence was upheld on appeal in January 2018.
Verdict / confirmation
30 years' imprisonment (Florence court, Dec 2016); upheld on appeal, Jan 2018.
Perpetrator: A 27-year-old Senegalese national who entered Italy illegally in 2015. Convicted of murder; 30 years (Florence, Dec 2016); upheld on appeal Jan 2018 (ANSA, NYT, Guardian).