Leonarda Cianciulli was born on April 14, 1894, in Montella, Avellino, Italy. She was born into a difficult family situation. Her parents had a troubled marriage, and her mother often treated her poorly. Cianciulli faced significant challenges during her early life, including two suicide attempts.

In 1917, she married Raffaele Pansardi, a registry office clerk. Her mother did not approve of this marriage because she had different plans for her daughter. Cianciulli claimed that her mother cursed them on this occasion, which added to her struggles.

The couple moved to Lauria, Potenza, in 1921. In 1927, Cianciulli was convicted of fraud and sentenced to prison. After her release, they settled in Lacedonia, Avellino. In 1930, their home was destroyed in the Irpinia earthquake. They then moved to Correggio, Reggio Emilia. There, Cianciulli opened a small shop and became well-liked by her neighbors.

During her marriage, Cianciulli became pregnant seventeen times. Unfortunately, three of her pregnancies ended in miscarriage, and ten of her children died in infancy. This led her to be very protective of her four surviving children. A fortune teller had told her earlier that all her children would die young, which fueled her fears. She also consulted a Romani palm reader who warned her about a future related to prison and criminal asylum.

In 1939, Leonarda Cianciulli decided that she needed to perform human sacrifices to protect her son, Giuseppe, who was about to join the military. She chose three middle-aged women from her neighborhood as her victims.

The first victim was Faustina Setti. She had come to Cianciulli seeking help to find a husband. Cianciulli told her about a potential partner in Pola but instructed her to keep this a secret. Setti also wrote letters to her friends, which were to be sent later. During Setti's final visit, Cianciulli killed her with an axe. Afterward, she cut Setti's body into nine pieces and collected the blood in a basin. Cianciulli dissolved the body pieces in a pot filled with caustic soda and disposed of the remains in a septic tank. She dried the blood, mixed it with other ingredients, and made tea cakes, which she served to visitors.

Francesca Soavi was the second victim. Cianciulli told her that she had found her a job at a school in Piacenza. Like before, she convinced Soavi to write postcards to be sent to her friends detailing her plans. When Soavi came for a final visit, Cianciulli gave her drugged wine and killed her with an axe. She disposed of Soavi's body in the same way she had with Setti's and took money from her.

The last victim was Virginia Cacioppo, a widow and former soprano. Cianciulli claimed to have found her work as a secretary. Cacioppo agreed to keep her plans a secret. During her final visit, Cianciulli murdered her in a similar manner but opted to melt her body to make soap. She then distributed the soap to friends and neighbors.

Authorities began to take notice when Cacioppo's sister-in-law reported her disappearance. The investigation led to Cianciulli, who eventually confessed to the murders, especially when it was suggested that her son might be implicated. In 1946, Cianciulli was put on trial. She remained unrepentant and was found guilty. The court sentenced her to thirty years in prison and an additional three years in a criminal asylum.

Leonarda Cianciulli died on October 15, 1970, in prison. Artifacts from her case, including the pot used for the murders, are on display at a museum in Rome.