Haute-Corse: Young Woman Shot Dead, Likely a Case of Mistaken Identity in Organized Crime Context

An 18-year-old student from the University of Corte was shot and killed on Saturday, February 15, in Ponte-Leccia (Haute-Corse). The homicide occurred shortly before 10 p.m. while she was driving alone in a vehicle usually used by her partner. Severely wounded, she did not survive.

A Likely Case of Mistaken Identity

According to Bastia’s public prosecutor, Jean-Philippe Navarre, “no hypothesis can be completely ruled out or favored,” but it is “very likely that the intended target was not the victim, in a context highly indicative of organized crime activity.”

An investigation for premeditated murder by an organized group has been opened and entrusted to the Corsican criminal investigation unit and the Interdepartmental Directorate of the National Police (DIPN) of Haute-Corse. Additionally, a burned-out vehicle was found in the commune of Tralonca, about 20 kilometers from Ponte-Leccia. However, no link to the murder has been established at this stage.

Third Homicide in Corsica in 2025

This tragedy comes amid ongoing violence tied to organized crime. It marks the third homicide on the island since the beginning of the year. The prefects of Corsica and Haute-Corse have strongly condemned the act.

Gilles Simeoni, President of the Corsican Executive Council, also reacted on the social media platform X: “In the face of this unspeakable tragedy, the time is for mourning and compassion. Then, in the coming days, we must collectively express our rejection of the mafia-like drift that threatens to engulf our people’s lives and hopes.”