CBRN event in Italy on Tue 31st March 2026

A breakthrough in the case of Antonella Di Ielsi and Sara Di Vita. The deaths of the mother and daughter from Pietracatella, in the province of Campobasso, were not caused by food poisoning, but by poisoning. The cause of death was ricin, a potent toxin found in the seeds of the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis), which is extremely poisonous if ingested, inhaled, or injected. This natural cytotoxin blocks cellular protein synthesis, causing cell death, with severe symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, and organ failure, often fatal within 3–5 days. The castor plant also grows wild in many areas of the world and is cultivated for the oil extracted from its bean-shaped seeds. There is no specific antidote. But who procured it, and how did they administer it to the two victims? The Campobasso prosecutor's office has meanwhile opened a new investigation into premeditated double homicide following a breakthrough in the investigation.