More than a decade after three elderly missionaries were killed inside their convent in Burundi, investigators believe the long and painful search for answers may finally be turning a corner.
Italian prosecutors announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with the 2014 murders of three Catholic nuns whose deaths shocked both local communities and observers around the world. For families, fellow missionaries, and investigators, the development marks the first major breakthrough in a case that lingered unresolved for years.
The arrests also reopen difficult questions about violence, power, and accountability during a turbulent period in Burundi’s recent history.
A Crime That Shocked a Community
In September 2014, sisters Lucia Pulici, 75, Olga Raschietti, 82, and Bernadetta Boggian, 79, were killed at their convent in Bujumbura.
Pulici and Raschietti were attacked first. Boggian was killed later the same day after returning from the airport, unaware of what had already happened.
Authorities reported that two of the victims were raped and decapitated — details that underscored the brutality of the crimes and drew international condemnation.
The women belonged to the Xaverian Missionary Sisters, an order known for humanitarian and pastoral work abroad. They had spent years serving local communities in Burundi.
A Long Investigation Across Borders
Italian authorities continued investigating the killings long after the initial inquiry stalled locally. Over time, the case evolved from a suspected isolated crime into a complex international investigation.
In 2026, prosecutors arrested Guillaume Harushimana, a Burundian national living in Parma, Italy. He faces multiple counts of aggravated homicide.
Investigators allege Harushimana helped organize and provide logistical support for the attacks, though prosecutors say he was not personally part of Burundi’s secret police.
Authorities claim the killings were ordered by Adolphe Nshimirimana, then head of the country’s intelligence services, who was assassinated in 2015.
According to prosecutors, four additional individuals carried out the killings directly. Two have reportedly confessed, another partially admitted involvement, and one suspect remains unidentified.
Harushimana had previously been questioned in 2018 and presented passport evidence suggesting he was abroad at the time. Investigators now say new findings allowed the case to move forward.
It remains unclear whether he has entered a formal plea.
Violence and Politics Intertwined
Prosecutors described the investigation as unfolding within what they called a “climate of terror,” suggesting the crimes may have been connected to broader political tensions in Burundi during that period.
While authorities have not publicly detailed a clear motive, the alleged involvement of high-ranking security figures has shifted the case from a criminal investigation into a potential example of politically linked violence.
For years, uncertainty surrounding the killings left unanswered questions about whether justice would ever be possible.
Why the Case Still Matters
The arrest highlights how international investigations can stretch across decades, particularly when crimes intersect with political instability or state power.
For missionary communities, the case also represents a deeply personal loss. Many religious workers operate far from home, often in regions facing conflict or unrest, driven by service rather than recognition.
When violence strikes, accountability can feel distant — especially when suspected organizers hold positions of influence.
A Search for Justice, Years in the Making
Twelve years after the deaths of three women who had dedicated their later lives to service abroad, the legal process is only beginning.
The arrest does not yet provide closure, but it offers something that had long seemed uncertain: movement.
For those who remember the sisters not only as victims but as teachers, caregivers, and neighbors, the hope now is that the passage of time will not prevent the truth from fully emerging.
Sometimes justice arrives slowly — carried forward by persistence rather than certainty.
