Anita Bitri

Who was Anita Bitri?

Anita Bitri-Prapaniku was a pop singer and violinist from Albania. She was found dead in her Staten Island home along with her 8-year-old daughter Sibora Nini and 66-year-old mother Azbije. The three died due to an accidental carbon monoxide poisoning after boiler ventilators in the basement were stuffed with plastic bags to keep out concrete from construction work. Her husband, Luan Prapaniku, had recently died from cancer.

Bitri started singing at the age of sixteen, and she became popular in Albania with her song "First Love". She emigrated to the United States in 1996. At the time of her death, she was in the process of recording two albums, one in Albanian and one in English.