In a shocking turn of events, the lifeless body of a 22-year-old French woman was discovered in an abandoned church in Italy's Aosta Valley over the weekend. According to local police, the victim had been searching for a haunted house rumored to be inhabited by ghosts.

Authorities revealed that prior to her departure from the village near Lyon where she resided, the young woman had shared her intentions with family members. Investigators suspect that her ill-fated quest may have been influenced by a ghost hunting competition on the popular social media platform, TikTok, which has gained prominence in France.

Among the prevailing theories being considered by the police, one suggests that her death could have been a premeditated act, possibly a "consented murder" or a sacrificial ritual, while another proposes that it was an ill-fated attempt to stage a social media prank within the deconsecrated church.

The search for a young man who was seen accompanying the victim is currently underway, as authorities believe he may hold crucial information to unravel the circumstances leading to her demise. Notably, there are two other missing persons cases in the vicinity, raising suspicions of potential links between them.

According to a witness who was interviewed by the police, both the victim and her male friend were dressed in attire resembling vampires. Describing the woman as pale and "emaciated," and the man as having dark hair and olive skin, the witness chillingly likened the young woman's appearance to that of a "walking corpse."

Autopsy results conducted by medical examiner Roberto Testi indicate that the victim died from multiple stab wounds inflicted with a camping knife, leading to fatal blood loss. Additionally, she bore three gunshot wounds, which police speculate were inflicted after her demise. Some of the blood at the crime scene had been deliberately scraped away and removed.

When her decomposing body was discovered by a local resident, the woman did not have any identification documents or a cellphone on her person. However, investigators did find a package of pink marshmallows and purchased groceries from a nearby store near her remains. She was clad in beige leggings and a sweatshirt concealed beneath a long dark coat.

In their ongoing investigation, local authorities have turned their attention to a burgundy-colored van captured on surveillance footage near the abandoned church in the preceding week. However, the details regarding its potential connection to the case remain undisclosed, according to the prosecutor's office.

As the investigation continues to unfold, questions linger as to what truly transpired within the eerie confines of the abandoned church. Authorities strive to determine whether the young woman's death was a consequence of a misguided social media challenge, a sinister act, or another perplexing enigma waiting to be unraveled.