Knox, 25, who was played by Hayden Panettiere in 2011 TV movie Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial, and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were previously convicted of killing the 21 year old in Perugia, Italy in 2007.

They both spent four years in jail before they were acquitted and freed on appeal in 2011, but Italy's highest court, the Court of Cassation in Rome, overturned the acquittal and ordered a new trial for the pair in 2013. Knox was convicted the following year (14), but remained free as she appealed the verdict.

On Friday (27Mar15) the Italian court overturned the decision and quashed the convictions for them both, finally closing Knox's eight-year legal battle.

She was at her mother's home in Seattle, Washington when the news broke, and released a statement saying, "I am incredibly grateful for what has happened, for the justice I've received, for the support that I've had from everyone, from my family, from my friends, to strangers, to people like you. You saved my life. Right now I'm still absorbing what all of this means... what comes to mind is my gratitude for the life that's been given to me... Meredith was my friend. She deserved so much in this life... I'm the lucky one."

The court has yet to issue a reason behind the judge's final decision, but a statement is expected to be released within 90 days.

Knox's story is also the basis for new movie The Face Of An Angel starring Kate Beckinsale and model Cara Delevingne.