The Italian Actress Who Vanished In New Orleans
Born in rural Cellino San Marco in southeast Italy on November 29, 1970, Ylenia Carrisi grew up in a talented and famous family.
She was the daughter of two popular Italian entertainers, Romina Power and Albano Carrisi. Her parents were even referred to as the “Sonny and Cher of Italy.” Meanwhile, her maternal grandparents and maternal aunt were film actors.
Ylenia followed in their footsteps, too. At just 13 years old, she appeared alongside her parents in the movie “Champagne in Paradiso.” Years later, in 1989, she also turned letters on Wheel of Fortune in Italy.
She eventually attended King’s College in London, where she majored in literature and received stellar grades. It was her dream to become a novelist.
However, in 1993, Ylenia ultimately decided to take time off from her studies to travel the world with just her backpack and journal.
So, she headed back to Italy, sold the majority of her personal effects, and started traversing North and Central America. At one point, she also met up with her parents, who’d gone on vacation to New Orleans, Louisiana.
Yet, when they went back to Italy, Ylenia didn’t join them. She proceeded to visit Florida, Mexico, and Belize, but in the end, she wound up returning to New Orleans.
Ylenia spoke fluent English and fully immersed herself in the local street culture. She became friendly with street musicians and the homeless, taking notes about and painting the individuals she encountered. She reportedly intended to write a novel about her experiences.
But her father, Albano, began to worry about her. While in Florida, she supposedly told her parents that she was afraid of two men, who she believed were trying to drug and kill her. Albano feared that she was using drugs herself.
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By the time Ylenia arrived in New Orleans for the second time in late 1993, she was 23 years old. She checked into a hotel known as LeDale, located in the 700 block of St. Charles Avenue, on December 31. Ylenia was also sharing the room with a 54-year-old street musician named Alexander Masakela. She would tragically disappear one week later.
Ylenia spoke to her parents for the final time on New Year’s Day. Then, she was last seen on January 6, 1994, in the French Quarter, which was five blocks away from her hotel. Her parents didn’t contact the police until January 18, and once she was reported missing, authorities discovered Ylenia’s clothing, luggage, backpack, passport, camera, and notebooks left behind in her hotel room.
Investigators spoke with Alexander, who had a history of drug use and violence. He also showed Ylenia’s passport to the hotel staff and tried to use her traveler’s checks to cover the cost of their room. Since the checks weren’t signed, though, the staff refused to accept them, and Alexander was evicted.
He told authorities that, while he’d pursued Ylenia, she wouldn’t have a romantic relationship with him. Rather, he alleged they slept in separate beds. Ylenia reportedly viewed him as her “guru” and “master” and claimed he’d introduced “completely new intellectual horizons.”
Alexander was subsequently arrested on January 31 when an ex-girlfriend accused him of assault. Nonetheless, he was released after less than two weeks due to a lack of evidence, and he’s never been charged in relation to Ylenia’s case.
Her parents headed to Louisiana to aid search efforts once she was officially declared missing, but no clues as to her whereabouts were uncovered. The only big break in the case came when a security guard told the police about a woman who’d jumped into the Mississippi River at 11:30 p.m. on January 6.
The woman, who matched Ylenia’s description, was near the Aquarium of the Americas when she reportedly stated, “I belong in the water.” Then, she dove into the river and traveled approximately 100 yards before she began struggling against the current.
The woman reportedly screamed for help and sank, but after the Coast Guard scoured the area, they found no remains in the river.
It’s possible that the woman might’ve been Ylenia, and her body washed into the Gulf of Mexico. Still, this theory has never been confirmed, and witnesses have reported various potential sightings of Ylenia over the years in the United States, Italy, and greater Europe.
By early 2013, her father requested that Ylenia be declared dead, and his request was granted in December 2014. Even so, her mother reportedly frequently returns to the U.S. and holds out hope that Ylenia will be found.
At the time she went missing, Ylenia was five foot seven, weighed 120 pounds, and had blonde hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a floral print dress and a white jacket.
Anyone with information regarding her case is urged to contact the New Orleans Police Department at (504) 826-1302.
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