KOCAELI - A Turkish high criminal court started Tuesday trial of the suspect of the murder of Italian artist Pippa Bacca, who was killed in the northwestern province of Kocaeli while she was travelling from Italy to Israel by hitchhiking in order to give a "message of peace" to the world.
Prosecutor has sought "aggravated life in prison" for Murat Karatas, the 38-year-old suspect of the murder.
Attending the first hearing at the High Criminal Court no:1 of Kocaeli, Pippa Bacca's mother Elena Manzoni said that she had full confidence in the Turkish judicial system.
33-year-old Italian artist Giuseppina Pasqualino Di Marineo, who was known as "Pippa Bacca" in her country, departed from Milan in March 2008 together with a fellow artist Silvia Moro on a "Brides on Tour" journey, with both wearing bridal gowns and hitchhiking from Italy through southern Europe and the Middle East, with the intention of meeting up together at the end in Jerusalem.
Pippa Bacca was found dead in a forest near Gebze town of northwestern province of Kocaeli on April 12th. The 38-year-old suspect of the murder, Murat Karatas, was later arrested.
(DO-MS)
(GEN)