A community in northern Italy is mourning the loss of two young women, whose deaths just weeks apart have left residents reeling. The tragedies highlight a disturbing pattern of violence against women in the region.
“Zoe Trinchero and Matilde Baldi grew up together, running and laughing through the streets of their town.” They lived in the center of town, playing together in the courtyard of the building where their families resided. Both were well-known and beloved girls in the community.” These are the sentiments echoing through the towns where Zoe Trinchero, strangled and thrown into a stream in Nizza Monferrato by Alex Manna, lived. The grief is particularly acute in Montegrosso, where the community, led by Monica Masino, had recently mourned the loss of Matilde Baldi, 20 years traditional, and now finds itself grieving for Zoe, her friend. The two girls had known each other since childhood and attended the same schools. They had drifted apart after Zoe, following her parents’ separation, moved to live in Nizza Monferrato with her mother.
A Fatal Car Crash
Their stories tragically intertwined again on Sunday, when Zoe was killed. Matilde, 20 years old, had died just before Christmas. She succumbed to her injuries five days after a crash caused by a Porsche traveling at 212 kilometers per hour while she and her mother were driving on the Asti-Cuneo highway.

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A Community in Shock
The sense of grief is compounded by the fact that both tragedies struck within weeks of each other. There is also a feeling of guilt that warning signs from Alex Manna, who also lives in the town, weren’t recognized before he allegedly killed Zoe. “He grew up here with his mother, father, two brothers, and sister – a quiet, reserved, and taciturn boy,” said Mayor Monica Masino. “He associated with local kids, but often remained somewhat withdrawn. No one can justify his actions, but I don’t understand how anyone failed to recognize his distress. I’m a mother myself, and I can’t imagine what the mothers involved are going through. There are three families shattered and an entire community struggling to recover.” Residents of Nizza Monferrato are also devastated. The community is preparing for a day of mourning on the day of Zoe’s funeral, while a steady stream of people have been leaving flowers and candles at the site where her body was found since Sunday. On Sunday evening, the Non Una di Meno (Not One Less) association also held a moment of reflection in Piazza San Secondo.
Plans for a Civic Mourning Day
Funeral arrangements are still pending, as Zoe’s body is currently with judicial authorities for an autopsy. “But I will declare a day of civic mourning,” said Mayor of Nizza Simone Nosenzo. “I often saw Zoe in the streets of the city. She deserves to be remembered by the town that raised and loved her. What happened has marked all of us. Zoe won’t grow up – you can’t die like this.”
February 8, 2026 (modified February 9, 2026 | 11:53)
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