Italian Casino Dealer Commits Double Murder in the UK
A disturbing incident of murder involving an Italian casino dealer in the UK has sent shockwaves through the community. According to reports, 22-year-old Andrea Cardinale is alleged to have attacked and killed his colleague, 26-year-old Antonio Calabro, and Calabro’s fiancée, Francesca Di Dio, just days before Christmas in 2022.
Cardinale and Calabro were described as best friends who had met at dealer school in their native Sicily and traveled to the UK together to work at the Grosvenor Casino in Stockton-on-Tees, where they shared an apartment. However, a former roommate of the pair revealed that there was an imbalance in their relationship, with Cardinale being described as quiet and socially awkward in comparison to the popular and outgoing Calabro. It was suggested that jealousy over Calabro’s popularity and relationship with his girlfriend may have been a motive behind the gruesome murders.
The former roommate also disclosed that Cardinale had been fired from the casino due to his odd behavior in September 2022. Then, in the early hours of December 21, 2022, Cardinale entered Calabro’s bedroom while he and his fiancée slept, and bludgeoned and stabbed Calabro to death. Di Dio, who was visiting from Sicily for Christmas, woke up and ran upstairs before she was dragged back down and killed with a sledgehammer. Cardinale then attempted to set the property on fire by dousing it with diesel fuel.
The bodies were discovered the next day by Cardinale’s father, who had flown to the UK after becoming concerned about his son’s behavior. Upon investigation, medical experts determined that Cardinale had been suffering from undiagnosed acute schizophrenia at the time of the murders, leading to diminished responsibility for his actions.
Cardinale pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and was subsequently sentenced to an indefinite hospital order. He will only be released when psychiatrists determine that he is no longer a risk to the public. Meanwhile, his ex-roommate considers himself fortunate to have moved out of the apartment, believing that his life was potentially saved by his girlfriend.
The chilling incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and the devastating consequences that can result from undiagnosed conditions.
