What Life Is Like For Amanda Knox's Ex Raffaele Sollecito Now

When Raffaele Sollecito woke up on the morning of November 2, 2007, he was a computer science student who was planning a day trip to the Italian town of Gubbio with his new American girlfriend, Amanda Knox. By that evening, he was involved in a murder case that would change his life forever. Indeed, hours before, Knox's British roommate, Meredith Kercher, had been murdered. Police took Sollecito and Knox in for questioning and on November 6, arrested them on suspicion of murder.

What proceeded was a series of trials that would shake Kim Kardashian's work in criminal justice reform to its core. In 2009, Sollecito and Knox were convicted of murder. Two years later, in appeals court, the Italian judicial system reversed the original decision, freeing Sollecito and Knox. In 2013, however, the tides turned, and Sollecito and Knox were convicted with the same murder a second time. Ultimately, in 2015, the case made it to Italy's highest court of appeals, where investigators found that there was no evidence indicating that Sollecito and Knox had murdered Kercher. It was determined that the only person responsible for Kercher's death was a man named Rudy Guede, who had already been convicted of the crime.

Sollecito's acquittal, unfortunately, only came after he spent time in prison. By then, a media heyday had destroyed his reputation and Amanda Knox became known as "Foxy Knoxy" by the public. Because of these dynamics, the former computer science student has had a difficult time adjusting to normal life. 

Raffaele Sollecito's legal troubles were so traumatic that, at first, the computer science student did not know how to move forward. Even following his acquittal in 2015, Sollecito felt daunted by the future. As reported by the BBC at the time, the young Italian told the press in a statement that prison had impacted him indelibly. "It is time I will never be able to recoup. My mind and my soul will be marked for life, and the wound will never stop bleeding, it will never heal," he said. Looking forward to a normal life seemed impossible.

But, although Sollecito was concerned about his future, he was also understandably grateful to have his name cleared. Per the same BBC report, Sollecito told the press that his sister was the one to give him the happy news of the acquittal. "The most beautiful moment without a doubt was the one that put an end to the nightmare, the call from my sister after the reading of the sentence and the total acquittal from the High Court," he shared. Still, Sollecito was aware that seeking normality would be difficult — especially after losing his 20s to time behind bars.

For Raffaele Sollecito, one of the most challenging aspects of returning to normal life was definitely the search for gainful employment. Due to the media frenzy that surrounded his court case, Sollecito was famous in his home country of Italy — and not in a good way. Even though Sollecito had managed to finish his computer science degree, most employers were disinterested in hiring someone whose name was associated with violent crimes. Commenting on this in an appearance on the "Pulp Podcast" in 2025, Sollecito noted, "It's been an uphill climb because, at the beginning, it was incredibly hard to be recognized as a professional."

Determined to make a career for himself, Sollecito focused on becoming the most qualified computer programmer on the market. "I focused on my education," he revealed in the same interview. "I started collecting more and more certifications, building up my resume." As he studied, Sollecito found that his passion for the area fueled his focus, and in the end, his efforts paid off. According to Sollecito's LinkedIn, he now holds seven Amazon Web Services (AWS) certificates in addition to his bachelor's degree in computer science and an engineering degree in computer engineering. That being said, he told the Mirror that some companies still refuse to work with him. "I have had so many problems getting jobs, with big companies looking me up online and reading about the investigation. But I am just a normal engineer," he said.

After dedicating a lot of time and effort into his studies, Raffaele Sollecito was able to secure a job as a cloud engineer — or a type of information technology specialist who designs the infrastructure that allows software to run efficiently. In 2023, he took a position at a company called UCapital24. Apparently, this opportunity was the direct result of all Sollecito's studying. As the engineer put it in his appearance on "Pulp Podcast," "Since my resume was all about technical skills, the people on the other side — the ones looking to hire — they didn't even ask themselves who I was personally."

Ultimately, Sollecito was not able to keep his past a secret for long. But, when his identity was eventually revealed to his boss, Sollecito was relieved to find that his job wasn't in danger. "The CEO at UCapital — shout-out! — told me, 'Honestly, at first I had no idea who you were.' He knew nothing. I was on a trial period, and I proved myself," Sollecito shared in the same interview. Although Sollecito's boss eventually admitted that he was "shocked" by his employee's personal history, he did not fire the engineer. Instead, Sollecito was given an opportunity to develop his skills and aspire to greater things. His current goal? "My dream is to become head of the IT infrastructure of a big, successful company," he gushed. 

Partially because of his career aspirations in a low-key field, Raffaele Sollecito tried not to engage very much with the media following his 2015 acquittal. As he aspired to have a normal life, Sollecito did not want to emphasize his connection to Amanda Knox and their complicated court case. "It's something I'm not ashamed of," Sollecito revealed on the "Pulp Podcast," "but it has nothing to do with my work."

Of course, Sollecito couldn't help but note that Knox has taken a different approach toward the spotlight. "We ended up making very different life choices. We went down separate paths," he said on the same podcast. "Let's say, she uses the notoriety she gained to help other victims of wrongful convictions. And so on ... She also really embraced the media side of things," Sollecito shared. Ultimately, the difference between the two is that Knox has stepped into her role as a public figure, while Sollecito has pursued a quieter life. In other words, Amanda Knox's life today continues to center her tragic personal history. All Sollecito has wanted, meanwhile, is to continue building the career that had brought him to the University of Perugia in the first place.

Although Raffaele Sollecito was eventually able to build a career, creating new friendships was not so easy. His notoriety made it difficult to feel comfortable with new people. More often than not, his name proceeded him. "What makes me really sad is that, when I meet someone for the first time, they already have an image of me based on what they've seen through," Sollecito confessed on the "Pulp Podcast." "Whether it's positive or negative ... it's not you."

Apparently, the people that have stuck around enough to get to know Sollecito beyond his reputation have expressed a certain degree of shock. Describing their reactions to him, Sollecito mused, "And, then, they're surprised. They're like, 'I feel like you're a totally different person.' And, I'm like, 'Yeah. They [the media and the police on the case] made me wear a suit that was never mine.'" This dynamic has made it tricky for Sollecito to form meaningful friendships based solely on his personality. Instead, his tragic personal history seems to linger in the background. 

Despite the fact that Raffaele Sollecito is best known for his relationship to Amanda Knox, the pair did not date for very long. In fact, they had only known each other for a couple of weeks before being thrust into the spotlight. Because of this, it didn't take long for Sollecito and Knox to dissolve their relationship and concentrate on other issues. Since the tense days of her court case, Amanda Knox has married Christopher Robinson. Sollecito, meanwhile, has found dating much more complicated.

Commenting on this sad reality in the "Pulp Podcast," Sollecito confessed that some women are only interested in him due to his connection to Meredith Kercher's murder. "Once I met this girl on a plane. And, well, we started seeing each other. And, after just a couple of days — she didn't even try to hide it — she told me straight-up she thought I was guilty," Sollecito shared. Eventually, Sollecito added, the girl spent enough time with him to realize that he wasn't particularly intimidating. Her reaction? To break up with him and declare, "I thought you were different." Sollecito admitted that this was a particularly frustrating episode, but it was not the only time a woman demonstrated that her interest was based on "my so-called dark aura," as he called it. Over the years, he has received plenty of love letters from people who have adopted this view of him.

Even as Raffaele Sollecito has tried to move on from the days of the Amanda Knox trials, the world seems stuck on the crime that led to his one-time imprisonment. Even some of the best true crime podcasts and documentaries have released episodes about Meredith Kercher's death, and mystery buffs from around the world have rehashed the details of that fateful night in 2007 time and time again. When Paramount+ began filming a documentary about the case, Sollecito realized he needed to appear before the cameras. In 2020, he took to Instagram to share a photo of himself on-set of a documentary. In 2022, he appeared in the "Who Murdered Meredith Kercher?" documentary and opened up about how the court case has affected his life.

Speaking in the documentary, Sollecito urged Kercher's family to recognize that he hadn't been involved in their daughter's murder. "It's very hard when somebody you care about is lost forever. But the truth is that I don't have anything to do with this murder. So I hope one day they will accept it," he said. Sollecito also expressed just how difficult life was for him following the trauma of his wrongful imprisonment. "Four years in prison. Six months of solitary confinement," he recalled. "And still today, I feel that bitterness. Even though I moved on with my life."

Although Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox remain on good terms, the former couple do not speak regularly. Despite this, they decided to embark on a shared healing journey following the release of Parmount+'s 2022 documentary, "Who Killed Meredith Kercher?" Indeed, on the anniversary of Kercher's death, Knox and Sollecito headed to the small Italian town of Gubbio — where they had been planning to go exactly 15 years earlier. "We had been planning to go there on the day Meredith's body was found. We had been planning that trip because obviously we didn't know what had happened to her and we had free time that day," Sollecito told the Mirror.

For Sollecito and Knox, traveling to Gubbio was a way to look forward to a fresh start. Despite everything that they've been through together, the pair did not discuss their tragic history. "It was bitter-sweet to go back as we were supposed to go there in such different circumstances, but it was just nice for us to be able to talk about something that wasn't the case," Sollecito reflected in the same interview. Instead, he socialized with Knox's friends and met her daughter, Eureka, for the first time. The encounter proved healing as it allowed the duo to explore a friendship beyond everything that happened all those years ago.

On August 20, 2025, Hulu released a new show called "The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox." Based on the Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox's real-life trial, this fictional show adds a dramatic touch to some of the most complicated times in the former couple's lives. Sollecito was not necessarily excited to rehash the past — after all, if watching true crime can be bad for your mental health, imagine being part of it in real life. Even so, Sollecito was impressed with actor Giuseppe De Domenico — who played him in the show. In a conversation with Us Weekly, De Domenico said that Sollecito had given him positive feedback for his performance. "He really thanks me for that. He says that there's been a lot of narratives about him and for you. My performance is the closest one to the truth," the actor revealed.

But, if De Domenico gave the performance of a lifetime, it was hardly an accident. While researching the role, De Domenico dedicated hours to understanding everything about Sollecito's mindset, body language, and communication style. "The first thing I did was just go on YouTube. I watched every single video I found there on Raffaele," the actor explained in the same interview. He went on to express how seriously he took the role, saying, "There was this responsibility to bring him to life. It was pretty challenging but also a beautiful experience."

Because of Giuseppe De Domenico's attention to detail, he and Raffaele Sollecito fostered an unlikely friendship. In an interview with Us Weekly, De Domenico said he got in contact with Sollecito after wrapping up the show. "We finished production and maybe one month before the premiere, I asked to talk with him." However, rather than simply talk to Sollecito about the ins and outs of the case, De Domenico hoped to make a connection with the man who he had portrayed on TV.

"My purpose was actually something very human," De Domenico told Us Weekly. "I know a lot of stuff about him, he doesn't know anything about me. I just shared with him some information about me just to give him balance." This conversation allowed the engineer and the actor to strike up an unexpected friendship. "I think he really appreciated that moment and I feel like this is the right thing to do," De Domenico added.

When "The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox" re-opened an international conversation about the murder of Meredith Kercher, Raffaele Sollecito decided that he wanted his voice to be heard. After years of watching the tabloid press spread rumors about his persona, Sollecito knew he needed to be more proactive about representing himself to the public. Thus, he decided to appear in a number of Italian-language podcasts in 2025. In addition to "Pulp Podcast," Sollecito appeared on "H3roesPodcast" and "Pianeta B12."

Reflecting on his decision to speak publicly about everything that has happened to him, Sollecito told "Pulp Podcast" listeners, "I also wanted to show the world who I really am, what my life is like, what I do, and what I've been through." He went on to hint that many outlets have misrepresented him in the past. "I don't want the narrative to be shaped by journalists who know absolutely nothing about me or about the story. Because there are still journalists who muddy the waters," Sollecito explained. 

As Raffaele Sollecito looks into the future, he hopes to one day start a family. This goal, however, remains out of reach, as the engineer worries about his capacity to be a solid family member at this time. "Besides the professional aspect of it, I'd like to rebuild my peace of mind," he shared on "Pulp Podcast." "Before I start a family, I have to feel safe." What is he worried about? Being falsely accused of yet another crime. "I'm still afraid," Sollecito admitted. 

Fatherhood weighs especially heavily on Sollecito's mind. After having been ostracized for a crime of which he was acquitted, Sollecitos worries that any child of his would be treated unfairly "Just [see] how my mind plays tricks on me. I feel like if I had a kid, my kid would get bullied just because I am their father," he added in the same interview. Perhaps some of his concerns are not unfounded, as Amanda Knox's daughter, Eureka, was barely in kindergarten when she began inquiring about her mother's tragic past. That being said, Knox has created a framework for answering her little one's questions, telling Page Six, "I try to tell it in a way that she will understand." She later added that her story does have "a happy ending."