Chico Forti, sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. for the February 1998 death of Dale Pike in Miami, has been granted day release . The court's decision won't significantly change Forti's daily routine compared to the past few months: since December of last year, he has been volunteering 40 hours a week at a farm in Verona , leaving Montorio prison, where he has been held since his arrival in Italy in May 2024, in the morning and returning in the evening. He will continue to do this now that he has been granted day release.
Now it will depend on the program established by the prison administration. In addition to continuing his work, Forti, who was born in Trento in 1959, where his elderly mother still lives, hopes to be able to visit her much more often. From a judicial perspective, a decision on his conditional release, which he requested last year, is pending. The hearing could take place as early as early 2027. A previous request for conditional release was rejected in September 2025. In June of that year, Forti had been granted permission to use the prison study rooms, and since the previous February, he had been able to obtain leave to visit his mother in Trento.
The Surveillance Court initially rejected the first request because it believed that no "feelings of guilt or genuine sorrow for the victim's family or for their own family members" had emerged, emphasizing the "failure to compensate for damages, even partial."
The story
Forti decided to leave Trentino in 1992 after a big win on the quiz show Telemike to work as a television producer in Florida. In 1998, he was arrested for the murder of Anthony "Dale" Pike, who was shot in the head in 1998 in Miami. Pike had flown to the Florida city to discuss a proposed settlement between Forti and his father, Tony Pike, who had agreed to sell him a resort in Ibiza, which had become famous during the 1980s, when Queen singer Freddie Mercury celebrated his 41st birthday there.
According to the prosecution, Tony Pike suffered from dementia and Forti attempted to deceive him. When cornered, Forti admitted picking Pike up at the airport but has always denied shooting him, claiming he left him at a restaurant. Sentenced to life without parole in 2000, Forti has always maintained his innocence. The Chico case has divided public opinion for years between those who believe he's innocent and those who believe he's guilty. Dale Pike's brother, Bradley, is also convinced of Forti's innocence. He met Forti last May as part of the restorative justice program. A four-hour meeting was followed by another a few days later.
Forti had arrived in Italy on a plane provided by the government that landed at Pratica di Mare airport.
(Unioneonline)