German woman found dead in park near Florence, murder investigation opened

A 44-year-old German woman was found dead on Tuesday morning February 18, 2026, in a park area of Scandicci, a municipality about 6 kilometres south-west of Florence. Prosecutors in Florence have opened a murder investigation.

According to investigators, the woman was homeless and her body was discovered near a disused rural building in the area known as the former CNR site. The property and surrounding land belong to the Municipality of Scandicci.

Body found near abandoned building

The discovery was made in the late morning at the foot of a boarded-up farmhouse, located within a public green area used for walks and recreational activities, including a designated dog area.

Carabinieri from the investigative unit of the provincial command of Florence and the Scandicci company carried out a lengthy on-site inspection together with the duty prosecutor from the Florence public prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor has ordered an autopsy to establish the exact cause and time of death.

Investigators are working to determine whether the woman was killed at the site where she was found or elsewhere and then moved. The area where the body was discovered is surrounded by overgrown vegetation and is not covered by surveillance cameras. Part of the fencing around the abandoned building is open, with a well-trodden path leading inside.

Area under redevelopment

Behind the building there is an informal encampment of makeshift tents used by homeless people. The site is close to a tram terminus connected to Florence’s Santa Maria Novella railway station, making it easily accessible from the city centre.

The location is also near several public institutions. It lies roughly 200 metres from Scandicci’s town hall and less than 100 metres from the ITS Mita fashion institute and the Russell-Newton upper secondary school, where hundreds of students attend classes daily.

In recent months, residents have reported episodes of degradation in the park, including drug use and aggressive behaviour. Local police were reportedly called earlier this week following an altercation involving a man with a dog in the same area.

Scandicci’s mayor, Claudia Sereni, said she learned of the incident from media reports and described it as a deeply alarming event for the community. She noted that the former CNR area is currently undergoing a redevelopment process, with works worth €2.5 million funded by the Tuscany regional government planned for the creation of a new urban biodiversity park.

The investigation is ongoing. Authorities have not released further details about possible suspects.

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