British Expat Confesses to Killing Partner in Italy After Long-Standing Disputes

Michael Whitbread admits to stabbing Michele Faiers, citing prolonged accusations of infidelity and escalating tensions in their relationship.

Michael Whitbread, 75, confessed in an Italian court to fatally stabbing his partner, Michele Faiers, 66, in October 2023 at their home in Verratti, a village in Abruzzo, Italy.
Whitbread claimed that Faiers had accused him of infidelity for months, which he denied, and described their relationship as increasingly volatile with verbal and physical altercations.
Faiers was found with seven stab wounds to her back; Whitbread stated he acted in panic during a confrontation and could not recall how many times he stabbed her.
After the killing, Whitbread fled to the UK, where his daughter alerted authorities, leading to his extradition to Italy for trial.
The court proceedings included testimony on Whitbread’s mental health, his history of depression and alcohol misuse, and conflicting accounts of the couple's relationship dynamics, with Faiers' family rejecting his portrayal of events.