Rexal Ford, a 46-year-old American citizen, was recently detained in Greece on suspicion of involvement in the deaths of a woman and her infant daughter, whose bodies were discovered on Saturday, June 7, in the bushes of Villa Pamphili—one of Rome’s largest and most frequented public parks. A photo taken on June 5, just two days before the bodies were found, shows Ford holding the baby in his arms. In the image, now circulating widely, he wears shorts, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap. The baby, dressed in a pink outfit, appears calm.
Police officers are seen nearby in the photo, reportedly called by passersby concerned about the sound of the baby crying. When questioned, Ford told officers he was the child’s father. That police encounter was later reported to an Italian television program, which aired the photo and launched a public appeal for help in identifying the woman and the child. Following that tip, investigators were able to trace the police intervention from June 5 and link it back to Ford—who at the time had not yet emerged as a suspect in the double homicide.
The names of the woman and the child remain unknown. So far, the only confirmed detail is that both were American citizens. Investigators believe Ford and the woman were married in Malta, a lead that strengthens suspicions the baby may have been born there—most likely in the capital, Valletta. Authorities are now combing through local hospital and civil records in Malta, searching for any trace of the birth or formal registration of the child. If found, such documentation could prove pivotal in confirming their identities and piecing together what happened.
This wasn’t Ford’s first contact with Italian authorities. On May 20, he had been stopped by police in Rome’s Campo de’ Fiori square and, again, claimed to be the father of the baby. After the June 5 photo, he resurfaced in Greece on the island of Skiathos, where he was eventually located and detained by local law enforcement at the request of Italian authorities.
He drifted between soup kitchens and street markets, a man who seemed to have nothing. But the investigation tells a different story. Ford had access to a credit card, which he used to book a flight to Greece just after the child’s death—an escape that now looks anything but improvised.
Adding to the mystery, U.S. records list him under a different name than the one on his passport—a document that, despite the mismatch, has been confirmed as genuine. A detail that deepens the questions around who he really is, and what exactly he was running from.
At this stage, the timeline and logistics of Ford’s extradition remain unclear. Italian sources suggest he could be brought back within 20 to 25 days, but there’s also the possibility that the U.S. may seek to assert jurisdiction and request his transfer stateside.
Investigators are continuing to examine the available evidence and may send a team to Greece to question Rexal Ford in person. The proximity of the two bodies—found just meters apart—adds complexity to an already unclear timeline and raises further questions about what exactly took place.
In the meantime, a public appeal has been launched online, inviting anyone with information to come forward. The investigation remains open, with key details still under review by authorities in both Italy and Greece.
