Police issue new update on Lady de Rothschild's death after case was reopened as a 'murder investigation'

After Lady de Rothschild's death was reopened as a 'murder investigation' police will focus on 'the local connection' rather than Mafia conspiracy theories, a podcast has revealed. Jeanette Bishop May, the former Lady de Rothschild, and Gabriella Guerin, her secretary, disappeared in a freak snowstorm in Italy's northern Marche region in November 1980. The subsequent search for the pair, involving choppers and dogs, failed and it wasn't until 14 months later that hunters discovered their heavily decomposed bodies near Lake Fiastra in the Sibillini mountains.

An autopsy revealed that wild boars had ravaged their corpses, erasing any chance that the cause of their deaths would be fully understood. An initial inquiry said they died of hypothermia. The bizarre case lead to wild conspiracy theories and speculation, including that they were allegedly linked to the Mafia, an art theft in Rome, the murder of an Italian antiques dealer and the 1982 death of an Italian banker in London.

What happened to the high-profile former Vogue model and her secretary puzzled Italian investigators for more than four decades, however chief prosecutor in Macerata, Italy, Giovanni Fabrizio Narbone, has launched a fresh inquiry which will focus on 'the local connection'. Speaking to Fionnán Sheahan on the Indo Daily podcast, Josephine McKenna, a freelance journalist based in Italy, said that new witnesses say they saw the women with a man and left in his car before their disappearance.

Josephine added: 'Even though he has been tight lipped about the investigation, he did tell local media that there is more of a focus on the local connection to the demise of these women, rather than the fanciful scenarios.'. After Jeanette Bishop May, the former Lady de Rothschild's, death was reopened as a 'murder investigation' police will focus on 'the local connection' rather than Mafia conspiracy theories.

Host Fionnán asked: 'So he is not buying international, conspiracy theory involving the Mafia, stolen jewels and wealthy names, he has pointed to a more local motivation?'. Josephine replied: 'It sounds like that to me, it sounds like they want to go back to these witnesses, they want to find out what they saw, where they were , how close were they to the women. 'And the fact that none of this has been fully explored I find quite surprising, it would be great to know if they can uncover something new that we haven't heard before.'.

The chief prosecutor has declined to give many more details on what motivated the fresh enquiry but confirmed it is an investigation into a 'double murder'. Josephine added: 'This is not about new DNA or advances in technology, he said he really wants to get to the remaining witnesses before they pass away.'. Some witnesses have reportedly said they saw the women with a man before their deaths. The subsequent search for the pair, involving choppers and dogs, failed and it wasn't until 14 months later that hunters discovered their heavily decomposed bodies near Lake Fiastra in the Sibillini mountains.

At the time of her disappearance, she was in the Marche region renovating a 300-year-old farmhouse she had recently purchased with May, 140 miles north-east of Rome – a renovation project for the couple, who loved the area. Jeanette and Gabriella Guerin, (pictured) her secretary, disappeared in a freak snowstorm in Italy's northern Marche region in November 1980. 'One man said he saw them leave their car and approach a man in another vehicle and that they all left together in that other car.

The journalist said: 'The last seen of them was in the town, at the hotel where they had been staying. 'Other witnesses said they saw these two women on the mountain road after they had driven up there. 'That raises some interesting questions that I imagine the prosecutors want to peruse in the new investigation.'. Jeanette Bishop May was married to Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, the financier who was part of the international dynasty, between 1966 and 1971, before she divorced him and married businessman Stephen May.

At the time of her disappearance, she was in the Marche region renovating a 300-year-old farmhouse she had recently purchased with May, 140 miles north-east of Rome – a renovation project for the couple, who loved the area. The purpose of the visit was to review progress of work on the house with surveyor Nazzareno Venanzi. He was one of the last people to see the former Lady de Rothschild alive, and told local media at the time: 'In the morning she showed me a gate she liked for the cottage she was renovating.

Stephen May (right) at a press conference in Sarmano, Italy, with British Consulate officer Mr Massi. Stephen May, who was personnel director of John Lewis, leaving helicopter after searching for his missing wife Jeanette. 'We drank an aperitif before lunch, then she asked me if I wanted to accompany them both in the mountains that evening, but I declined because I was busy. When I learnt they did not return to their hotel, I was worried and notified the police.