Ylenia Maria Sole Carrisi, a 23-year-old Italian woman and the eldest daughter of Italian singers Albano Carrisi and Romina Power, was a budding writer and television personality with a passion for travel. In pursuit of inspiration for a book, she embarked on a solo journey, selling her belongings to finance her travels through Central America. Her adventure eventually led her to New Orleans, Louisiana, a city that had previously captivated her.
She arrived around New Year's Eve of 1993 and checked into the LeDale Hotel in the French Quarter. The last time she was seen was on January 6, 1994, in the French Quarter area. At the time of her disappearance, Ylenia was staying with a street musician named Alexander Masakela, a man two decades her senior. Her family last heard from her on New Year's Day and reported her missing on January 18, 1994.
The investigation into Ylenia's disappearance uncovered few concrete leads. Authorities questioned Alexander Masakela, who was arrested on an unrelated charge on January 31 but was ultimately released due to a lack of evidence connecting him to her disappearance. He denied having any knowledge of her whereabouts. A significant but unconfirmed sighting was reported by a security guard who claimed to have seen a woman vaguely matching Ylenia's description jump into the Mississippi River on the evening of January 6. The security guard stated the woman said, "I belong in water," before entering the river. A subsequent search by the Coast Guard yielded no results, and it has never been definitively established that the woman was Ylenia. Despite extensive searches, most of Ylenia's personal items, including her backpack, passport, and journals, were found left in her hotel room.
Over the years, the case has been marked by conflicting beliefs within her family. Her mother, Romina Power, has held onto the hope that her daughter is still alive, while her father, Albano Carrisi, eventually came to believe she died in the Mississippi River. In January 2013, at her father's request, an Italian court declared Ylenia presumed dead. Despite this legal declaration, the circumstances surrounding her vanishing remain a mystery. The case has generated numerous theories and unverified sightings over the decades, none of which have been substantiated. The disappearance of Ylenia Carrisi is an unresolved case that continues to be a subject of public interest and speculation, leaving behind a painful void for her loved ones.Last Seen: Jan 6, 1994
