Prosecutor Marco De Paolis said Alfred Stork was sentenced in absentia Friday to life in prison for his role in the executions of the officers, including division commander Gen. Antonio Gardin.
Between 3,000 and 4,000 Italian soldiers were killed in the week-long massacre in September 1943. Italian troops that had been occupying Greece with German allies found themselves in enemy territory when Italy signed an armistice with the Allies following the fall of fascist leader Benito Mussolini.
It was the first conviction in Italy for the Kefalonia massacres. Previous attempts were closed due to the death of defendants or lack of evidence.