Maria Barbella was born on October 24, 1868, in Ferrandina, Italy. In 1892, her family moved to Mulberry Bend, New York. They left Italy in search of a better life in America. Maria started working in a factory to help support her family.

After living in the United States for almost a year, she met a man named Domenico Cataldo, who came from the same region in Italy. Maria would pass by his shoeshine booth every day. They became close but kept their meetings secret because of her overprotective father, Michele. Once Michele found out about Domenico, he forbade Maria from seeing him again. Despite this, Domenico continued to pursue her until she eventually agreed to meet him again.

Their relationship took a troubling turn when Domenico took Maria to a boarding house. There, he allegedly drugged her and assaulted her. Afterward, Maria asked him to marry her, and he showed her a savings book with a $400 deposit, promising to marry her. However, he would delay the wedding for months. Maria later discovered that Domenico was already married and had children in Italy.

Maria was deeply influenced by the traditional values of southern Italy. She was aware that her family would face shame in the Italian American community if Domenico left her without marrying her. When Domenico said he wanted to end their relationship and return to Italy, Maria was devastated. She confided in her mother, who confronted Domenico and urged him to marry Maria. He replied that he would only marry her if they paid him $200.

On April 26, 1895, Maria confronted Domenico at a saloon in New York City. They had a heated exchange, and in a moment of anger, Maria attacked him with a straight razor, resulting in his death.

Maria Barbella was accused of killing Domenico Cataldo on April 26, 1895. The event took place in a New York City saloon. Cataldo had plans to leave for Italy that day. Barbella confronted him and during their conversation, he insulted her. In a sudden moment, she used a straight razor to cut his throat. After the attack, he stumbled out of the bar and collapsed on the street, bleeding.

Barbella was arrested and sent to The Tombs, where she spent about two and a half months. Her trial began on July 11, 1895. Many people criticized the trial process. They pointed out that there were no Italians on the jury, which made them feel the verdict was unfair. Barbella could not understand or speak English at the time. During the trial, she confessed to what she did but also expressed that he had chased her after she attacked him. The jury felt some sympathy for her, but they ultimately found her guilty. She was sentenced to death in the electric chair on August 19, 1895.

After some public outcry, Barbella was granted a second trial. This trial started on November 16, 1896. Her defense argued that she was a victim of rape and that this had caused her to have a seizure, which affected her mental state at the time of the crime. This time, the jury found her not guilty.

After her release, Barbella saved a neighbor from a fire. She married Francesco Paolo Bruno in 1897 and later had a son named Frederick. In the years that followed, she lived with her family and eventually had a second husband named Ernesto. Barbella died on March 24, 1950, and was buried as Mary di Chiara in Old Calvary Cemetery.