MILAN, Italy – Italian authorities may have underestimated the severity of a stalking threat against a 26-year-old pregnant woman who was found stabbed to death in her home, leading to the tragic outcome. The victim, Vanessa Ballan, had filed a complaint against the suspect, Bujar Fandaj, after he had made multiple attempts to get into the home she shared with her companion and 4-year-old son. Despite these warning signs, authorities did not take preventative action to protect the victim.

According to Prosecutor Marco Martani, the suspect had engaged in a series of aggressive behaviors towards Ballan, leading to her decision to file a complaint on Oct. 26. Despite searching the man’s house the next day, authorities concluded that there were no longer threats or episodes of harassment. This led to the case being labeled as not urgent, a decision that ultimately proved to be unfounded.

Ballan, who was alone at the time of the attack, was stabbed at least seven times. The suspect, Bujar Fandaj, a Kosovo citizen living in Italy, was arrested late Tuesday in his home in a nearby town. He had engaged in an affair with Ballan, which she ended over the summer, leading to the threats and harassment that followed.

The tragic murder comes just a month after the killing of 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin, whose throat was slit by her ex-boyfriend after disappearing following a meeting with him for a burger. The two cases represent a deeply concerning trend of violence against women in Italy, with over 102 women murdered through mid-November this year, more than half by current or former intimate partners, according to the Interior Ministry.

The Italian prosecutor acknowledged the failure to take necessary action to protect the victim, highlighting the urgent need for greater awareness and intervention to address the escalating issue of domestic violence and femicide in the country. The lives of women should not be undervalued, and authorities must take serious measures to prevent such tragic outcomes in the future.