The Monster of Florence Ending Explained: Who is the Killer?

‘The Monster of Florence’ or ‘Il mostro’ is an Italian crime drama series that chronicles a series of gruesome killings in Italy, in the region of Florence, over 17 years. The killer, dubbed “The Monster,” preys on young couples in cars, terrorizing and mercilessly murdering them. As the body count rises, police become entangled in the hunt for this enigmatic and elusive killer. The series offers multiple perspectives from characters directly or indirectly involved in the investigation, exploring how the Monster targeted women and the potential motivations behind these acts. Spanning the 1950s to the 1980s, the show delves into decades of secrets, deception, and violence as law enforcement and other concerned parties strive to unmask the killer. As the narrative reaches a point of conclusion, the cops look to stop the killings at once, and the killer’s truth hangs in the shadows. SPOILERS AHEAD.

The Monster of Florence Plot Synopsis

The narrative begins on June 19, 1982, in Baccaiano di Montespertoli, Florence. Paolo and his girlfriend park by the side of the road for some intimacy, but get brutally shot by a masked man in black. The girlfriend dies, but the medical team arrives to find Paolo still alive. The cops arrive at the scene and realize a killer has struck again, specifically targeting women. Assistant District Attorney Silvia Della Monica comforts the female victim’s parents when they arrive at the scene. It is revealed by a cop named Vincenzo that the boy also didn’t survive. Silvia falsely tells the press that “The Monster” has struck again, but the dying Paolo gave a detailed description of his physical appearance. Silvia finds similar MOs in past cases dating back to 1974 and 1981, but decides to investigate further for more clues.

The murders point to the killing of couples and rituals performed on women’s pubic areas. A connection is made to a case in Signa, dating back to 1968, where lovers Barbara Locci and Antonio Lo Bianco were killed in a car with a similar gun. The cops decide to investigate Stefano Mele, the one who confessed to killing his wife Barbara and her lover Antonio. In 1960, Stefano and Barbara rented one of the rooms in their house to Salvatore, who took a sexual interest in the latter. In 1968, Barbara and her lover, Antonio, get intimate in the car, while the former’s young son, Natalino, is still in the vehicle. The two lovers are stalked and shot by a masked man during an intimate act, but the child is left alive. In 1967, Francesco, Salvatore’s brother, takes an interest in Barbara, leading to an affair.

Despite Stefano finding out about the affair, Francesco and Barbara continue it. In 1982, a tense Francesco leaves his house and drives to an isolated area to hide his car. The cops search his home after being let in by his wife. He is arrested by the cops, who question him about Paolo and Antonella. He denies being involved, but the cops bring in Stefano, who publicly accuses Francesco of murdering Barbara. District Attorney Silvia questions him about his past, including assaulting his wife. Francesco’s wife gives an alibi for her husband for the night of Barbara’s death. Francesco is imprisoned for the murders. The narrative shifts to 1983 in Giogoli, Florence, where a gay German couple is brutally shot to death by a masked man, indicating that the Monster is still at large.

In 1984, the cops go to the Mele house, where they search both Giovanni, Stefano’s brother, and Stefano. When questioned, Giovanni denies being the Monster, but the cops realize that he has no alibi. The cops say that Giovanni forced Stefano to mislead the cops by naming himself as the killer and then naming Francesco to drive attention away from the family. Giovanni and Piero are imprisoned for their suspected roles in Barbara’s murder. On July 29, 1984, in Boschetta, a couple engages in intimate activity in a secluded area of the car. They are brutally shot by a masked man, who then cuts off the girl’s pubic area. The Monster still appears to be at large.

The cops realize that Natalino is the only one to have seen the killer in all these years. He is taken to the scene of his mother’s murder to see what he can recall. He tells the cops that he just told people what he was taught in the past. His memory goes back to the night of the murder, where it is revealed he actually saw someone hiding behind the bush. The cops knock at the door of Salvatore Vinci and scrub the place for clues. They find some lewd magazines, rope, and blood-stained clothes, along with clothes having gunpowder residue. They also find a torch similar to the one carried by the Monster.

The Monster of Florence Ending: Who is The Monster?

The central mystery of the show is the identity of the killer known only as “The Monster.” The cops and other interested parties push beyond their limits to narrow down the identity of the killer. Although the narrative doesn’t explicitly reveal the identity of the killer, it hints at the possibilities of who could most likely be the one. It is worth noting that events in the series unfold from different perspectives, and no single one can be trusted. It appears that the most likely candidate in this case, according to the storyline, is Salvatore, Francesco’s brother. In 1958, Salvatore returns home after army service.

He is seemingly in a relationship with a boy named Sasà, for which his father ridicules him. Salvatore is forced to pursue his lover’s sister instead. He sexually assaults her to prove his “manliness,” which leads to her pregnancy. In 1959, he stalks couples in the woods and has problems with his lover’s sister, Barbarina. He claims to own her, but she refuses to accept it. In Signa in 1960, Salvatore rents a room from Stefano and Barbara. He develops the habit of watching them having sex, but Stefano shows no hesitation about being watched. Later, Salvatore and Stefano engage in oral sex. He threatens Barbara and tells her not to reveal his relationship with Stefano to anyone. Barbara admits that she is pregnant, after which Salvatore leaves, because he is uncomfortable.

In 1974, Salvatore spent time with his wife, Rosina Massa. He has troubles in his marital life. He forces his wife to have sex with a strange man so that he can perform voyeurism. Rosina finds it difficult to sustain her marriage. Salvatore works as a repairman, and one day, when he returns home, he finds that his wife and children have left. He gets angry and then stalks a couple in a car, murdering them. In 1968, Salvatore tries to convince Barbara that he “owns her,” but she refuses, saying she prefers Francesco instead. Salvatore then convinces Stefano that his wife must be killed. The two men follow the car and kill the lovers. The lawyer with the cops deduces that every time Rosina left Salvatore, the Monster killed people.

When asked about 1968, Rosina says that her husband was not with her during the night of Barbara and Antonio’s murder. They tell him that all of the Monster’s crimes were committed using a 22 caliber Beretta, 70 series, and that eleven of such guns were sold in Salvatore’s hometown of Villacidro. One out of the eleven guns is never recovered, and it is said to belong to one of Salvatore’s relatives who emigrated to the Netherlands. These clues, along with the fact that the killings stopped after his court appearance, partly indicate that he could be the Monster. Other individuals could be the enigmatic killer. Stefano’s brother, Giovanni Mele, stands out in this case due to his obsession with control over women’s bodies.

In 1968, Giovanni spots Barbara and Francesco on a date. The family insults Stefano for his wife’s behavior, and Giovanni tells his brother that his wife must be killed. Giovanni, Piero, and Stefano follow Barbara and Antonio in the car. Then, Giovanni shoots the lovers. Stefano agrees to get a life sentence after being forced to by his brother. In 1984, he takes his date, a woman, to the spot where a couple was killed in 1974 and recreates the murders with a fake knife. He shows immense knowledge of the murder from the past. His date asks him to take her home, but he says he has somewhere else to go first. He parks in the car by a cemetery and tries to get intimate with his date, Iolanda, who refuses. He walks away, but she spots a rope and adult magazines in the boot of his car.

Iolanda runs away immediately and saves herself before Giovanni spots her. She goes to the cops, telling them that Giovanni is possibly the killer. These signs hint at the possibility that Giovanni could also be the Monster. In real life, both Giovanni and Salvatore were questioned by the cops for their possible involvement in the murders, but they were let go because the killings continued while they were under police control. Thus, the identity of the Monster is a secret that may never be revealed, although the show makes a compelling case for Salvatore and Giovanni.

Why Does Salvatore Walk Free?

The cops say that Salvatore is officially under investigation for the murder of his first wife, Barbarina, in 1960. It is revealed that in 1960, Salvatore, his lover Sasà, and another man found Barbarina dead by suicide. In 1988, at the Court of Assizes, Stefano is called as a witness. He says he can’t recall details about whether or not Salvatore confessed to killing his first wife, Barbarina. Salvatore walks out of court a free man due to the lack of evidence. As the series comes to a close, it is revealed through lines on the screen that Salvatore disappeared in 1988, and no one saw him again. Salvatore is then seen going to an old house, and later walking at night with a head torch in the style of the Monster.

The lack of evidence and Stefano’s refusal to make statements against his former lover, Salvatore, became the main reason behind his gaining freedom. Despite his possible involvement in brutal crimes, especially rape and murder, he walks away simply because the circumstances favor him. It can be said that the cops couldn’t get to the core of the investigation, which is why there was no usable evidence against Salvatore. Stefano’s sexual obsession with Salvatore also makes it possible for the latter to have some kind of control over the former.

Is Pietro Pacciani a Person of Interest?

In 1985, an unknown man writes to the cops to question a fellow citizen born in Vicchio. The man says that the individual was jailed for fifteen years for the murder of his girlfriend and is very talented and shrewd. The anonymous letter also states that he is a farmer with big shoes and a bigger intellect, and that the man keeps his wife and kids under control, not letting them go out. The man’s name is revealed to be Pietro Pacciani. The narrative concludes at this point, leaving the fate of Pietro in suspense. The fact that Pietro has a history of violent instincts and acts makes it likely that he could be a person of interest.

Though not explored in the show, in real life, in 1994, Pietro was convicted of murdering seven couples. His conviction was overturned, and a new trial was ordered. Police then suspected a group led by Pietro, but he died before the second trial. Thus, the parallels between the show and reality tell us that Pietro indeed became a person of interest in the Monster investigations. Not much is revealed in the show about his beliefs, but the fact that he treats women in a controlling manner and tries to exert his dominance proves that he could have genuine motives to carry out the murders.

Who Killed Barbara? Why?

Though the Monster killed several women during his lifetime, the case of Barbara is central to the mystery of the show. Her death is seen through multiple perspectives, which hint at the fact that her real killer could be one of several potential players. The most obvious answer in this case is Francesco. In 1982, after reuniting with his son, Stefano reveals that Francesco actually killed his wife because of Barbara’s romantic relationship with Antonio. The fact that Francesco felt betrayed due to Barbara’s involvement with Antonio proves that he has a genuine motivation to kill her. Francesco’s wife files a complaint against her husband for cheating on her, leading to his arrest. Stefano talks to Salvatore and asks him to move back into the house, causing Barbara to panic. Six months later, Francesco is released from prison, and Salvatore tells him that he had “fun” with Barbara.

This causes a rift between Francesco and Barbara. He then forces Stefano to ride with him to follow Barbara and Antonio’s car. He then shoots the lovers and also forces Stefano to shoot them again. These versions of events hint that Francesco could be the killer, but it could also have been Stefano’s idea, as he may have become a jealous husband. It is also possible that Barbara was killed by either Giovanni or Salvatore. As mentioned earlier, the two men also have strong motivations to kill Barbara. Giovanni would kill her due to the idea of family pride, and Salvatore would kill her due to a twisted sense of his ownership over her body and soul. Thus, the minor mystery of Barbara’s murder, within the larger framework of the Monster’s identity, remains unsolved. But, it can be presumed that Francesco had a deeper connection with Barbara compared to the others, which makes him the most likely killer.

Why Did the Murders Stop in 1988?

As the series comes to a close, it is revealed through on-screen lines that Salvatore disappeared in 1988, and no one has seen him again. This leads to the end of the Monster murders, which never occurred again. However, the lines say that it could all be just a coincidence. There is no evidence to suggest that Salvatore’s disappearance directly led to the end of the Monster murders. It can be presumed that the killer may have lost his motivation to keep killing others around 1988. Since it cannot be proven that Salvatore is the Monster, it can also not be proven that the murders stopped due to his disappearance. Other parties could be the Monster, but they probably gave up killing for different reasons. The real killer may have found family life to be more important or may have even developed a health condition that forced him to abandon his modus operandi.

The fact that the real-life investigations into the crime continued way beyond 1988 proves that the enigma of the killer was still alive. Since the real killer has not been apprehended, it could also be possible that he died sometime during 1985, which is why the killings stopped suddenly. Thus, the reason behind the stopping of the massacre in 1985 cannot be exactly pointed out. However, the show’s focus on Salvatore’s storyline towards the end, as well as his disappearance, could suggest that he might actually be the killer. Even if that is the case, there is no definitive reason behind his instantly deciding not to carry out the murders. Thus, as the show implies, it could just be a coincidence.