Quick Facts
LibraBiography
Mirella Gregori (born October 7, 1967) mysteriously disappeared from Rome in May 1983, about 40 days before the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi, a citizen of Vatican City. Both vanishings are unsolved as of today.
International events
Both the Gregori and the Orlandi cases led to the Grey Wolves, an extremist Turkish group, claiming to be involved in the abductions and demanding the release of Mehmet Ali Ağca, the assassin who shot and wounded Pope John Paul II in Saint Peter's Square on May 13, 1981. According to Mehmet Ali Ağca's autobiography, the two girls' disappearances as well as the disappearance of Soviet journalist Oleg G. Bitov from the Venice Film Festival on September 9 that same year are closely linked.
Circumstances of disappearance
Gregori left her house telling her mother she "had a date" with a former schoolmate. She has not been seen since.
Suspects
During a visit of the Pope to a Rome parish, on December 15, 1985, Gregori's mother recognized a man in the papal escort as the person who often came to pick up her daughter at the house. The man was identified as Raoul Bonarelli.
Roman remains
Remains found in Rome in October 2018 were thought to possibly be those of Mirella or of Emanuela Orlandi. Early reports said the remains could be those of a woman, but results of tests released on 1 February 2019 showed they were of an ancient Roman man who died between 190 and 230 AD.