He is not Rexal Ford. That, now, is certain. The man accused of killing a woman and her infant daughter—whose bodies were discovered in Villa Pamphili, one of Rome’s most serene and stately parks—is actually named Charles Francis Kaufmann. The U.S. passport he carried, though authentic, bore a false identity he adopted in 2019.
Italian and Greek authorities confirmed the discovery after an in-depth investigation into consular records, immigration databases, and biometric matches. “Rexal Ford” does not exist in American civil registries. Yet Kaufmann’s passport passed routine checks, suggesting a sophisticated case of identity fraud—possibly involving a real person whose identity was stolen, or an elaborate fabrication backed by forged documents.
According to multiple witnesses and sources close to the inquiry, the man—46 years old, American accent, stocky build—often introduced himself as a film producer. He claimed to be scouting locations for an independent project, and spoke confidently of his ties to the indie film world. The persona was persuasive enough to win the trust of strangers he met around central Rome in the days leading up to the discovery of the bodies—especially young women, whom he seemed eager to befriend.
What many took for eccentric charm now appears to have been a calculated façade. The name “Rexal Ford” likely belongs to an unsuspecting American citizen whose identity may have been stolen or forged. Authorities, in coordination with the FBI, are working to uncover the suspect’s true identity and to determine whether he has a history of similar offenses elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Greek police have released official footage of his arrest on the island of Skiathos, carried out on June 13. The video, now circulating in Italian media, shows the man calmly stepping out of a dark vehicle and being escorted by two plainclothes officers into a police station. He offers no resistance, says nothing. His composure stands in stark contrast to the brutality of the crimes he is alleged to have committed.
Back in Rome, investigators are still piecing together the life of the woman he called “my wife,” who, according to early accounts, went by the name of “Stella.” She, too, carried no documents, and her identity appears to have been obscured by layers of fiction. The pair may have been married—or staged a marriage—in Malta, where the suspect reportedly lived for a time. Far from the homeless drifter initially described, he rented a house and moved in intellectual circles, presenting himself as a filmmaker. Yet no verifiable projects or credits have surfaced.
Italy has formally requested his extradition. Greek authorities are expected to rule in the coming days, though the man’s legal team is reportedly pushing for repatriation to the United States, where a more favorable judicial process may await him.
One question still hangs in the air: Who is the man who called himself Rexal Ford? And what exactly was he looking for, playing the part of a filmmaker on the streets of Rome?
