Vincenzo Verzeni “The Vampire of Bergamo”

One of the earliest documented serial killer of Italy, Vincenzo Verzeni earned the title “The Vampire of Bergamo” after confessing that he felt satisfied upon drinking the blood of his victims.   

Verzeni came from a well off family with a father that is almost drunk every day.  His father would constantly beat his mother and his brothers.  His father is also strict in money and avoids expenditures.  Verzeni is normally calm and quiet; he would try to keep everything in himself and pretend to be just fine.  Just to make it short, Verzeni is afraid of his father; he failed to make a lasting relationship with any girls due to his father’s dominant figure.

That was until he snapped.  Angers piled up together with resentments and frustrations that led to the creation of one of the most feared serial killer of Italy.  His reign of terror lasted for four years.  Most of his victims are members of the family.

Giovanna Matta, 14 years of age, was on her way to visit her family in Suiso.  Verzani attacked her while on her destination thus Matta never reached home.  Matta disappeared on that day and her body was discovered after 4 days.  The public was shocked on how horrendous the murder was. They were stunned to see that the body was too mutilated.

The murder of Matta was followed by another equally gruesome murder and the attack of 6 other women.  Verzeni planned to take Matta’s flesh home and devour it.  But he started to panic and hid her remains under the pile of straw that her mother saw.

Verzeni noted that he never took a peek on the genitals of his victims; experts said that this is due to the fact that he never had a sexual intercourse or relationship with any women due to his father.  He said that he reaches maximum satisfaction when strangling his victim and drinking their blood.

Doctor Lambroso was summoned by the court to do an analysis to Verzeni and he declared that he is partially insane.  He was sentenced for a hard labor instead of death penalty.  Eventually he will be sent to a mental asylum where he went “special treatment”.  The treatment on that day is so horrid it includes giving the patient a hot bath believing that it will surprise them followed with a shower of cold ice, electrocution, boiling glue etc.

Verzeni Vincenzo died inside the mental asylum.  He was found hanging on the wall naked on July 23.  The nurse attempted to save him by cutting the rope, but he was nonetheless declared dead.