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Birth
Leonarda was born November 14, 1893 in Montella, Province of Avellino -
Marriage
In 1914, Cianciulli married Raffaele Pansardi, a registry office clerk whom her parents did not approve because she was arranged to marry another man. She believed that her mother had cursed their marriage. -
Moving
To escape her mother, Leonarda and her husband moved to Lauria Italy; her husband's hometown. -
Prison
In 1927, Cianciulli was charged for fraud and sent to prison. -
Earthquake and Moving
After Leonarda was released from prison, a devastating earthquake destroyed the couples house. This force them to move to the town of Correggio, where she opened up a small shop and became popular as a gentle woman, caring mother, and good neighbor. -
Draft
In 1939, Cianciulli eldest son, Giuseppe, was drafted to join the Italian Army. Since Leonarda suffered through three miscarriages, and 10 more of her own children had died at a young age, she was over-protective of her four surviving children. She decided she needed to protect her son at all costs. -
1st Murder
Leonarda decided that she needed to make a human sacrifice in order to save her son's life. Faustina Setti was the first unlucky Victim. Leonarda promised Setti she had found her a husband in Pola, Italy. When Setti came to say her goodbyes, Leonarda poisoned her with a glass of wine. She then proceeded to chop her body up with an axe, and cook her blood into cakes. -
Second Victim
Cianciulli's next victim was Francesca Soavi. The events of her murder were similar of those of the first. Leonarda told Soavi that she found her a job at a school for girls in Piacenza. When Soavi came to say her goodbyes, she was also poisoned with wine and chopped up by an axe. Later, she was made into pastries -
Last and Final Murder
Her last victim was Virginia Cacioppo. Once again the pattern was the same in the last murder, she was promised a job in Florence and went to say goodbye but never came back. The one difference was, her flesh was melted, mixed with a bottle of cologne to make creamy soap and cakes that were passed out to her neighbors. -
Caught
The last victims sister-in-law became suspicious by her sudden disappearance. She reported her fears of Cianciulli to the police, and an open investigation begun. When Leonarda was questioned, she immediately confessed to the three murders and provided multiple details about the events. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison and three years in a criminal asylum. -
Death
In 1970 Leonarda died of Cerebral Apoplexy in the women's asylum in Pozzuoli. -
Works Cited
Blanco, Juan Ignacio. “Leonarda Cianciulli .” Leonarda Cianciulli | Murderpedia. Dirkdeklein. “Leonarda Cianciulli-Soap Maker and Serial Killer.” History of Sorts, WordPress, 23 Aug. 2016. Dyke, Rob. “Make Bodies Into Soap - Leonarda Cianciulli | SERIAL KILLER FILES #27.” YouTube, 10 Jan. 2016. Eddy, Cheryl. “The Superstitious Murderer Who Turned Her Victims Into Cake And Soap.”Gizmodo, Gizmodo.com, 23 June 2015.
