Naples Bus Attacker Antonio Meglio Dies by Suicide in Hospital
Antonio Meglio, the 39-year-vintage man who attacked a 32-year-old female lawyer with a knife on a bus in Naples on March 5, 2026, has died by suicide while hospitalized, according to reports from ANSA and other Italian news outlets.
Details of the Attack and Arrest
The attack occurred on a bus in the Vomero district of Naples. Meglio stabbed the lawyer multiple times in the face and hands as reported by ANSA. He held the victim under threat for approximately 15 minutes before being subdued by carabinieri and the bus driver, preventing a potential lynching by other passengers.
Following his arrest, Meglio was initially held in custody, but exhibited self-harming behavior, including attempting to injure himself with a USB stick while in police custody and throwing himself against a wall in prison, resulting in a head injury according to Ultimenotizieflash.com. Due to these concerns, he was transferred to the psychiatric ward of the San Giovanni Bosco hospital in Naples.
Suicide and Background
Meglio died by suicide on Monday, March 9, 2026, by hanging himself with a sheet while under guard in the hospital’s psychiatric ward as reported by Virgilio.it. The judge had validated his arrest and ordered precautionary custody in prison the day before his death.
During questioning, Meglio reportedly claimed he was motivated by a perceived “sentimental scam” involving an escort and stated he chose the victim randomly, hoping to attract the attention of prosecutor Nicola Gratteri as reported by Ultimenotizieflash.com. He had a history of psychological issues and had previously received treatment from both public and private healthcare providers. Meglio was a law graduate and had been registered as a trainee lawyer.
Legal Representation
His lawyer, Gianluca Sperandeo, stated that there had been no prior instances of violence from his client and that the suicide attempts were indicative of a severe psychological breakdown following the incident according to 2anews.it.