Larissa: Francis Kaufmann, a 46-year-old American aspiring film director, has proclaimed his innocence from a Greek courtroom via video link, after being accused of murdering his 28-year-old Russian girlfriend Anastasia Trofimova and their 11-month-old daughter Andromeda in Rome’s Villa Pamphili earlier this month. “I am innocent: I didn’t kill them. I want to speak to my lawyer and the American consulate,” Kaufmann stated during the video session.
According to Ansa News Agency, Kaufmann is being held in Larissa, Greece, where he has exercised his right to remain silent during an investigative process initiated by the Rome Prosecutor’s Office under a European Investigation Order (EIO). The Greek court’s investigating judge was present during the interrogation, and on Thursday, the Court of Appeal will consider an extradition request by Italian authorities, which Kaufmann has opposed, potentially prolonging the legal procedures. The Greek judges are expected to make a decision within sixty days.
In Rome, the investigation led by the Flying Squad and coordinated by Deputy Prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini continues, with Kaufmann facing charges of double homicide. Andromeda’s cause of death was determined to be strangulation on June 6, while investigators await histological examination results to understand the cause of Anastasia’s death, as no visible signs of violence were found on her body.
The reconstruction by investigators indicates that Kaufmann, Trofimova, and Andromeda lived in Villa Pamphili for at least two weeks, making use of makeshift beds and nearby market facilities. Kaufmann’s cell phone was reportedly turned off since June 4, and after Trofimova’s death, he was seen wandering Rome with Andromeda for 48 hours. On June 5, authorities found Kaufmann intoxicated near Largo Argentina, holding the child and presenting an American passport under the alias Rexal Ford. The following day, Andromeda was found dead in Villa Pamphili, near a hedge and covered by a black plastic sheet.
During a five-day period after the incident, Kaufmann allegedly attempted to eliminate evidence of the murders, including the child’s clothing. On June 11, he flew to Greece, where he was later arrested on the island of Skiathos by Greek authorities working with Italian police, and transferred to Larissa’s prison. Investigative sources describe Kaufmann’s demeanor as “evasive and provocative,” with him displaying disjointed and accusatory behavior towards Italian authorities, suggesting a “plot” against him. Italian investigators are also examining three credit cards in Kaufmann’s possession to determine his whereabouts during his stay in Rome.
