Family’s anguish as they wait to discover if mystery bones in Vatican belong to missing cold case schoolgirl Emanuela Orlandi, 15
Emanuela Orlandi's disappearance has gripped Italy and led to numerous conspiracy theories.
THE family Emanuela Orlandi are waiting to hear whether DNA tests confirm that bones found are those of the teenager who disappeared 35 years ago.
Bone fragments were discovered during construction work at the Vatican’s Embassy to Italy and tests are being conducted with the gender of the remains reportedly due to be released today.
The results that could solve the mystery which has gripped Italy for three and a half decades are due to be released as today, reported.
Emanuela was 15 when she disappeared on June 22, 1983 after a flute lesson, which she left early at around 6.50pm after appearing distracted.
Her brother Pietro told the ANSA news agency "the news should fill us with joy but if the bones turned out to be Emanuela's it's as if she died today".
Emanuela's father was an employee of the Vatican and his job has been at the heart of numerous theories about why she disappeared.
They include attempt to kill Pope John Paul II, the collapse of a Vatican bank, the Mafia and the intelligence services.
Tests are also being conducted to see if the bones found last Wednesday could also belong to Mirella Gregori, also 15, who disappeared six weeks before Emanuela in May 1983.
Rome prosecutors have opened a murder probe and investigators are comparing the cranium and teeth with the DNA of the pair.
The lawyer representing her family demanded more details after the discovery of the remains.
"We will ask the Rome prosecutors' office and the Holy See how the bones were found and why the find has been related to the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi and Mirella Gregori," said Laura Sgro.
"The statement released yesterday by the Holy See does not provide much information.”
Mirella’s sister Maria Antonietta added: "I don't want to delude myself.
“I want to stay with my feet on the ground but in my heart I hope that those bones belong to Mirella, so we can put an end to this affair and I would have a place to go to mourn and take a flower to my sister".
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According to Il Messaggero, the Rome prosecutor's office is analysing documents relating to the renovation work carried out over the years at the embassy.
They will then be able to trace the companies that worked there in a bid to see if any can be linked to Emanuela’s disappearance.
She was last seen at a bus stop talking to woman with red hair.
On her way to her lesson was stopped by a man in a green BMW who tried to sell her Avon cosmetics.
Emanuela was so troubled by that encounter that she called one of her sisters and she was due to meet another sister after her lesson but never turned up.
The last major twist happened in 2012 when cops exhumed the body of an alleged Mafioso in the hopes of finding Emanuela’s remains buried in the same crypt, but came up empty handed.
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