August 29, 2025 • 10 mins
In the quiet Italian town of Correggio during the 1930s, a seemingly kindhearted woman named Leonarda Cianciulli gained a reputation as a devoted mother and trusted neighbor. But beneath her hospitable façade lurked a sinister obsession—one that led to the gruesome murders of three women, whose bodies she transformed into soap and teacakes.
In this chilling episode of Rogue Darkness, we unravel the twisted life and crimes of “The Soapmaker of Correggio,” exploring her troubled past, her belief in dark superstition, and the horrifying methods she used to “protect” her family. Was she a delusional killer driven by prophecy, or a cold-blooded murderer hiding behind folklore?
Join us as we step into the macabre kitchen of one of Italy’s most infamous murderers—where horror was brewed alongside soap bubbles.
📚 SOURCES:
•Balsamo, Paola. Il Museo Criminologico di Roma. Rome: Ministero della Giustizia, 2008.
•“Leonarda Cianciulli, the Soap-Maker of Correggio.” Murderpedia, murderpedia.org/male.C/c/cianciulli-leonarda.htm.
•Stille, Alexander. Benevolence and Blood: The Dark Life of Leonarda Cianciulli. Milan: Feltrinelli, 1999.
•“The Soap-Maker of Correggio.” Historic Mysteries, 23 Jan. 2023, historicmysteries.com/leonarda-cianciulli/.
•Dickie, John. Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
•“Leonarda Cianciulli: The Soap Maker of Correggio.” All That’s Interesting, 15 Sept. 2021, allthatsinteresting.com/leonarda-cianciulli.
•“Leonarda Cianciulli – The Soapmaker of Correggio.” The Crime Library, crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/women/cianciulli/.
In this chilling episode of Rogue Darkness, we unravel the twisted life and crimes of “The Soapmaker of Correggio,” exploring her troubled past, her belief in dark superstition, and the horrifying methods she used to “protect” her family. Was she a delusional killer driven by prophecy, or a cold-blooded murderer hiding behind folklore?
Join us as we step into the macabre kitchen of one of Italy’s most infamous murderers—where horror was brewed alongside soap bubbles.
📚 SOURCES:
•Balsamo, Paola. Il Museo Criminologico di Roma. Rome: Ministero della Giustizia, 2008.
•“Leonarda Cianciulli, the Soap-Maker of Correggio.” Murderpedia, murderpedia.org/male.C/c/cianciulli-leonarda.htm.
•Stille, Alexander. Benevolence and Blood: The Dark Life of Leonarda Cianciulli. Milan: Feltrinelli, 1999.
•“The Soap-Maker of Correggio.” Historic Mysteries, 23 Jan. 2023, historicmysteries.com/leonarda-cianciulli/.
•Dickie, John. Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
•“Leonarda Cianciulli: The Soap Maker of Correggio.” All That’s Interesting, 15 Sept. 2021, allthatsinteresting.com/leonarda-cianciulli.
•“Leonarda Cianciulli – The Soapmaker of Correggio.” The Crime Library, crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/women/cianciulli/.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Dark Cast Network. Welcome to the dark side of podcasts.
In the quiet town of Correggio, Italy, whispers of superstition
and dark magic were woven into everyday life. But no
one could have imagined that behind the door of one small,
unassuming home, a mother's love or perhaps her madness, would
(00:26):
be steeped in blood, boiled in cauldrons, and molded into
bars of soap. This is the disturbing story of Leonardo Chianchuli,
the soap maker of Coreggio and leader. They would that
requie animals, dark world, a ritualistic child abuse. Is there
(00:50):
a well organized, blocked and insidious design to program the
minds of our children towards the occult and witchcraft? Does
it make you want to hate murder person? You want
to do her? Let's explore the darkness of mankind, one
crime at a time. Welcome back to Rogue Darkness, the
podcast that uncovers how the misinterpretations and misinformation surrounding witchcraft,
(01:14):
the occult, and other beliefs have led many to do
unthinkable crimes. From ritualistic killings and the demons that live
in all of us, to exploration of the macabre and
delving deep into the unknown. Let's explore the darkness of mankind,
one crime at a time. I'm your host of the
grim and gruesome Raven. Leonardo Chianchuli entered the world on
(01:45):
April fourteenth, eighteen ninety four, in Montea, in the southern
Italian province of Avellino. From the moment of her birth,
she claimed her fate had been sealed. Her mother, Emilia Dinulfi,
was reportedly forced to marry her father after being raped
(02:05):
by him, an origin steeped in shame, bitterness, and resentment.
Leonardo would later say her mother despised her from the
moment she was born, and she believed this hatred manifested
as a curse. Her childhood was riddled with poverty, instability,
and tragedy. By her own account, she attempted suicide twice
(02:29):
in her youth. She was plagued by vivid nightmares and
deeply entrenched in the old world Italian superstitions that whispered
of omens, spirits and the evil eye. A fortune teller
once told her, you will marry, but all your children
will die. The prophecy would haunt her for the rest
(02:50):
of her life. In nineteen seventeen, against her parents wishes,
Leonarda married Raphael Pansardi, a regie My Street office clerk.
Her family had intended her to wed a wealthier suitor,
and her choice created a permanent rift with her mother,
a rift Leonarda believed solidified the curse upon her. She
(03:14):
and her husband moved frequently, but tragedy followed. Of the
seventeen pregnancies Leonarda endured, three ended in miscarriage, and ten
of her children died in infancy or early childhood. Only
four survived into adulthood. To Leonarda, each death was proof
(03:34):
that the fortune teller's prediction and her mother's curse were real.
She became obsessively protective of her surviving children, especially her
eldest son, Giuseppe. Years later, another fortune teller gave her
an even darker reading.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
In your right hand, I see prison in your left,
a criminal asylum for.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
A superstitious woman already living in the shadow of loss.
These words carved themselves into her mind, and when World
War II loomed on the horizon and her beloved Giuseppe
was drafted into the Italian Army, Leonarda's terror spiraled into desperation.
She became convinced that the only way to protect her
(04:20):
son from death on the battlefield was through human sacrifice.
In nineteen thirty nine, Leonarda selected her first victim, a lonely,
unmarried woman named Faustina Setti. Faustina had come to Leonarda
for help finding a husband, as the older woman was
known in town for her abilities and connections. Leonarda told
(04:44):
Faustina she had found her the perfect match, but he
lived far away. She instructed Faustina to write letters to
friends and family, assuring them of her safe travels and
happy new life. Leonarda promised a poe more than Once
Faustina was gone, Faustina came to Leonarda's home to say goodbye.
(05:05):
Before her journey there, Leonarda gave her drugged wine, and
when Faustina was unconscious, she killed her with an axe.
She then dragged the body to a closet like room,
chopped it into pieces, and began the process she would
later describe in chilling detail.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I threw the pieces into a pot, added seven kilos
of caustic soda, which I had bought to make soap,
and stirred the whole mixture until the pieces dissolved. In
a thick, dark mush.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
The liquid, she said, was poured into buckets and dumped
into the septic tank, but some of the fat she
skimmed from the boiling mixture, she molded into bars of soap.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
I gave the bars to neighbors and acquaintances. We all
used them. I even bathed with it.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
She admitted, And as if that weren't grotesque enough, she
baked some of Faustina's blood into tea cakes, offering them
to Guess and her children. Leonarda's next target was a
school teacher named Francesca Save. Francesca was seeking work, and
Leonarda promised to secure her a position at a prestigious
(06:12):
school in another city. Again, letters were prepared in advance
to be sent to loved ones. Again, a final farewell
visit brought Francesca to Leonarda's home, and again the same
brutal method was used. An axe to the head, dismemberment,
(06:32):
and the now infamous soap and cakes disposal. To Leonarda,
these acts weren't crimes, they were protective charms and offering
to fate to spare her son. Virginia Cacciopo was a
former opera singer who had fallen on hard times. Leonarda
promised her work as a secretary for an impresario in Florence. Virginia,
(06:57):
perhaps hopeful for a return to better days, accepted. Virginia's
murder followed the same script, but her remains, Leonarda later
claimed produced the best soap of all due to what
she described as Virginia's sweet, white flesh. She also baked
Virginia's blood into tea cakes and served them to friends.
(07:19):
It might have continued, but Virginia's disappearance raised suspicion. Her
sister in law had seen her entering Leonarda's home on
the day she vanished, and reported it to the police.
Leonarda was arrested in nineteen forty At first, her son
Giuseppe was suspected, but Leonarda quickly confessed to the murders,
(07:42):
insisting she alone was responsible. Her trial in nineteen forty
six was sensational, with crowds flocking to hear her testimony.
She recounted the details of her crimes with chilling calm,
often correcting prosecutors on points of accuracy. The press dubbed
(08:03):
her as Lesaponifica Tricchi di Correggio, the soap maker of Coreggio.
She was found guilty and sentenced to thirty years in prison,
followed by three years in a criminal asylum. Eerily fulfilling
the fortune teller's prophecy, Leonarda Chianchuli died in the asylum
(08:25):
on October fifteenth, nineteen seventy. Her case remains one of
Italy's most infamous true crimes, a dark fusion of superstition, survival,
and sheer horror. Some of her cooking pots, axes and
tools are still preserved today in the Criminological Museum in Rome,
(08:47):
a grim reminder of the murders that shocked a nation.
They say a mother's love knows no bounds, but in
the case of Leonarda Chianchuli, that love boiled over into
something grotesque, something inhuman, and as the scent of her
soap filled the streets of Correggio, no one even realized
(09:08):
that they were lathering themselves with the remains of her victims.
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to Rogue
Darkness on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us
continue to bring you more stories of true crime and
(09:28):
the paranormal definitely let me know your thoughts on this
case and if you have any questions regarding it or
any other cases I've previously covered, you can always contact
me at Rogue darknesspod at gmail dot com. You can
also always reach out to me directly on my socials. Instagram, Twitter, TikTok,
and YouTube are all at Rogue Underscore Darkness. As always,
(09:50):
be sure to share the podcast with anyone who you
think would like it, and be sure to leave a
rating and review over on Apple, iTunes, Spotify, good Pods,
or anywhere else you can leave her to let other
listeners know you enjoy the show, and if you want
some personalized shout outs and other exclusives, definitely check out
my Patreon by visiting patreon dot com slash Rogue Darkness.
(10:12):
You can also check out my Bonfire shop if you
want to get your hands on some merch to support
the show even further. As always, all the links for
everything discussed in my episodes are down in the description
box of the episode. And with that said, that concludes
this week's episode of Rogue Darkness. The darkness is all
around us, and I can confidently say that reality truly
(10:36):
is more terrifying. Than fiction until next time
Dark Cast Network. Welcome to the dark side of podcasts.
In the quiet town of Correggio, Italy, whispers of superstition
and dark magic were woven into everyday life. But no
one could have imagined that behind the door of one small,
unassuming home, a mother's love or perhaps her madness, would
(00:26):
be steeped in blood, boiled in cauldrons, and molded into
bars of soap. This is the disturbing story of Leonardo Chianchuli,
the soap maker of Coreggio and leader. They would that
requie animals, dark world, a ritualistic child abuse. Is there
(00:50):
a well organized, blocked and insidious design to program the
minds of our children towards the occult and witchcraft? Does
it make you want to hate murder person? You want
to do her? Let's explore the darkness of mankind, one
crime at a time. Welcome back to Rogue Darkness, the
podcast that uncovers how the misinterpretations and misinformation surrounding witchcraft,
(01:14):
the occult, and other beliefs have led many to do
unthinkable crimes. From ritualistic killings and the demons that live
in all of us, to exploration of the macabre and
delving deep into the unknown. Let's explore the darkness of mankind,
one crime at a time. I'm your host of the
grim and gruesome Raven. Leonardo Chianchuli entered the world on
(01:45):
April fourteenth, eighteen ninety four, in Montea, in the southern
Italian province of Avellino. From the moment of her birth,
she claimed her fate had been sealed. Her mother, Emilia Dinulfi,
was reportedly forced to marry her father after being raped
(02:05):
by him, an origin steeped in shame, bitterness, and resentment.
Leonardo would later say her mother despised her from the
moment she was born, and she believed this hatred manifested
as a curse. Her childhood was riddled with poverty, instability,
and tragedy. By her own account, she attempted suicide twice
(02:29):
in her youth. She was plagued by vivid nightmares and
deeply entrenched in the old world Italian superstitions that whispered
of omens, spirits and the evil eye. A fortune teller
once told her, you will marry, but all your children
will die. The prophecy would haunt her for the rest
(02:50):
of her life. In nineteen seventeen, against her parents wishes,
Leonarda married Raphael Pansardi, a regie My Street office clerk.
Her family had intended her to wed a wealthier suitor,
and her choice created a permanent rift with her mother,
a rift Leonarda believed solidified the curse upon her. She
(03:14):
and her husband moved frequently, but tragedy followed. Of the
seventeen pregnancies Leonarda endured, three ended in miscarriage, and ten
of her children died in infancy or early childhood. Only
four survived into adulthood. To Leonarda, each death was proof
(03:34):
that the fortune teller's prediction and her mother's curse were real.
She became obsessively protective of her surviving children, especially her
eldest son, Giuseppe. Years later, another fortune teller gave her
an even darker reading.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
In your right hand, I see prison in your left,
a criminal asylum for.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
A superstitious woman already living in the shadow of loss.
These words carved themselves into her mind, and when World
War II loomed on the horizon and her beloved Giuseppe
was drafted into the Italian Army, Leonarda's terror spiraled into desperation.
She became convinced that the only way to protect her
(04:20):
son from death on the battlefield was through human sacrifice.
In nineteen thirty nine, Leonarda selected her first victim, a lonely,
unmarried woman named Faustina Setti. Faustina had come to Leonarda
for help finding a husband, as the older woman was
known in town for her abilities and connections. Leonarda told
(04:44):
Faustina she had found her the perfect match, but he
lived far away. She instructed Faustina to write letters to
friends and family, assuring them of her safe travels and
happy new life. Leonarda promised a poe more than Once
Faustina was gone, Faustina came to Leonarda's home to say goodbye.
(05:05):
Before her journey there, Leonarda gave her drugged wine, and
when Faustina was unconscious, she killed her with an axe.
She then dragged the body to a closet like room,
chopped it into pieces, and began the process she would
later describe in chilling detail.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I threw the pieces into a pot, added seven kilos
of caustic soda, which I had bought to make soap,
and stirred the whole mixture until the pieces dissolved. In
a thick, dark mush.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
The liquid, she said, was poured into buckets and dumped
into the septic tank, but some of the fat she
skimmed from the boiling mixture, she molded into bars of soap.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
I gave the bars to neighbors and acquaintances. We all
used them. I even bathed with it.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
She admitted, And as if that weren't grotesque enough, she
baked some of Faustina's blood into tea cakes, offering them
to Guess and her children. Leonarda's next target was a
school teacher named Francesca Save. Francesca was seeking work, and
Leonarda promised to secure her a position at a prestigious
(06:12):
school in another city. Again, letters were prepared in advance
to be sent to loved ones. Again, a final farewell
visit brought Francesca to Leonarda's home, and again the same
brutal method was used. An axe to the head, dismemberment,
(06:32):
and the now infamous soap and cakes disposal. To Leonarda,
these acts weren't crimes, they were protective charms and offering
to fate to spare her son. Virginia Cacciopo was a
former opera singer who had fallen on hard times. Leonarda
promised her work as a secretary for an impresario in Florence. Virginia,
(06:57):
perhaps hopeful for a return to better days, accepted. Virginia's
murder followed the same script, but her remains, Leonarda later
claimed produced the best soap of all due to what
she described as Virginia's sweet, white flesh. She also baked
Virginia's blood into tea cakes and served them to friends.
(07:19):
It might have continued, but Virginia's disappearance raised suspicion. Her
sister in law had seen her entering Leonarda's home on
the day she vanished, and reported it to the police.
Leonarda was arrested in nineteen forty At first, her son
Giuseppe was suspected, but Leonarda quickly confessed to the murders,
(07:42):
insisting she alone was responsible. Her trial in nineteen forty
six was sensational, with crowds flocking to hear her testimony.
She recounted the details of her crimes with chilling calm,
often correcting prosecutors on points of accuracy. The press dubbed
(08:03):
her as Lesaponifica Tricchi di Correggio, the soap maker of Coreggio.
She was found guilty and sentenced to thirty years in prison,
followed by three years in a criminal asylum. Eerily fulfilling
the fortune teller's prophecy, Leonarda Chianchuli died in the asylum
(08:25):
on October fifteenth, nineteen seventy. Her case remains one of
Italy's most infamous true crimes, a dark fusion of superstition, survival,
and sheer horror. Some of her cooking pots, axes and
tools are still preserved today in the Criminological Museum in Rome,
(08:47):
a grim reminder of the murders that shocked a nation.
They say a mother's love knows no bounds, but in
the case of Leonarda Chianchuli, that love boiled over into
something grotesque, something inhuman, and as the scent of her
soap filled the streets of Correggio, no one even realized
(09:08):
that they were lathering themselves with the remains of her victims.
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to Rogue
Darkness on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us
continue to bring you more stories of true crime and
(09:28):
the paranormal definitely let me know your thoughts on this
case and if you have any questions regarding it or
any other cases I've previously covered, you can always contact
me at Rogue darknesspod at gmail dot com. You can
also always reach out to me directly on my socials. Instagram, Twitter, TikTok,
and YouTube are all at Rogue Underscore Darkness. As always,
(09:50):
be sure to share the podcast with anyone who you
think would like it, and be sure to leave a
rating and review over on Apple, iTunes, Spotify, good Pods,
or anywhere else you can leave her to let other
listeners know you enjoy the show, and if you want
some personalized shout outs and other exclusives, definitely check out
my Patreon by visiting patreon dot com slash Rogue Darkness.
(10:12):
You can also check out my Bonfire shop if you
want to get your hands on some merch to support
the show even further. As always, all the links for
everything discussed in my episodes are down in the description
box of the episode. And with that said, that concludes
this week's episode of Rogue Darkness. The darkness is all
around us, and I can confidently say that reality truly
(10:36):
is more terrifying. Than fiction until next time
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