Ballao and Silius, Gerrei, in shock. The tragic end of Erminio Congiu, his wife Annalisa Prasciolu and their 34-year-old son, all stabbed to death by another 19-year-old son in their home in Germany, hit the two very small towns like a whip.
The two spouses returned often, especially in the summer, dreaming of a future in Silius. Fate erased everything. There is only one daughter left of the Congiu family who was injured and is now in hospital in Germany: her condition does not cause concern. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old young man was questioned by the judge. After the interrogation, the German magistrate ordered his transfer to prison. The bodies are available to the magistrate who could order the necropsy report before returning the bodies to the family members who remained in Sardinia or to the daughter hospitalized. It cannot be ruled out that they may be buried in Silius. The daughter and family members now in Silius will decide.
Ballao and Silius are a few kilometers apart: two towns, especially Ballao, which have experienced the plague of emigration over the last fifty years, with the population continuing to shrink. Many homes are closed. Fortunately , there are also many emigrants who return in the summer to maintain contact with their past.
«The reality is this – says Chicco Frongia, former pharmacist of the town, now mayor of Ballao – This tragedy has brought us to our knees».
Most of the family members of the murdered spouses live in Silius. Mayor Antonio Forci says he is «struck by such a sad story that involved a well-known, esteemed family made up of hard workers. The condolences are great. The news arrived mid-morning, causing great dismay."
