Who was Sarah Scazzi from Avetrana: This Is Not Hollywood and how was she murdered?
SARAH Scazzi was only 15 when she disappeared from the small town of Avetrana, Italy, sparking a massive search effort for the missing teen.
She was later found at the bottom of a well, strangled to death — the sickening story is featured in Disney+‘s Avetrana: This is Not Hollywood.
The tragic murder in 2010 shocked the nation, becoming the subject of intense media scrutiny.
Disappearance
On August 26, 2010, Sarah Scazzi disappeared in the small town of Avetrana, located in the Puglia region of southern Italy.
Her disappearance initially sparked a widespread search and numerous televised appeals for her discovery, including emotional pleas from her own family members.
The investigation took a dramatic turn when Sarah’s uncle, Michele Misseri, claimed to have found her cell phone.
Confession
However, as investigators closed in, Misseri made a shocking confession, saying he killed Sarah in his garage.
The confession was later retracted, with Misseri then accusing his own daughter of the crime.
Discovery
Eventually, the grim reality of Sarah’s fate was revealed.
The young girl had been strangled and her body was disposed of down a well.
The brutality of the crime sent shockwaves through Italian society.
Legal proceedings
In 2017, following years of legal proceedings, the Italian Supreme Court (Cassation Court) delivered its final verdict.
Sarah’s aunt Cosima Serrano and her cousin Sabrina Misseri were both sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder.
It was me, I killed her, I should stay here [in prison]
Michele Misseri
Michele Misseri was given an eight-year sentence for concealing the body.
Aftermath
The case of Sarah Scazzi continued to receive a great deal of public attention long after the verdicts were handed down.
Despite the court’s ruling, Michele Misseri has persistently claimed sole responsibility for the murder.
After serving his sentence for body concealment, upon his release from prison in February 2024 he told the press: “It was me, I killed her, I should stay here.
“I lied when I accused my daughter. I have been confessed a thousand and a thousand times.
“I wrote many letters to Sabrina and Cosima asking for forgiveness, but I never received a response.
“I would like to go and visit them in prison, but I don’t know if they will accept.
“I want to ask them for forgiveness by looking them in the eyes, explaining to them why I accused them.
“I accused my daughter unjustly, but I never accused my wife, nor did my brother Carmine and my nephew Cosimo.
“I didn’t want to go out because it’s not right, I’m the guilty one . This guilt makes me feel bad.”
Controversy
The horrific case raised questions about the ethics of true crime reporting in Italy.
In a particularly controversial moment, Sarah’s mother Concetta Serrano learned that her daughter had been murdered live on television.
She was also told that her brother-in-law Michele Misseri had confessed to the crime.
There were 3.5million viewers watching the traumatic moment on Chi l’ha visto — a programme on the state-run RAI network that investigates disappearances.
This Is Not Hollywood
The case has been adapted into a controversial television series titled Aventrana: Qui non è Hollywood, which roughly translates as ‘Aventrana: This is Not Hollywood’.
The show faced legal challenges from Avetrana, resulting in the removal of the town’s name from the title in the country.
Avetrana Mayor Antonio Iazzi said: “Avetrana cannot and must not be identified with the terrible murder.”
The series reportedly dropped on Disney+ in various territories on October 25, 2024, and in Italy on October 30 with the name of the town where the crime took place omitted from the title.