Murder in Udine: 32-year-old Moroccan flees after killing ex's brother
Manhunt in Udine and Veneto following the killing of Abdellatif Bensefiyan, 65. The suspect, a 32-year-old Moroccan, fled on foot after the attack in the Sant'Osvaldo district.
Manhunt in Udine: suspect on the run towards Morocco after murder in Sant'Osvaldo district
According to Il Fatto Quotidiano - Cronaca, law enforcement is searching for a 32-year-old man, a Moroccan citizen with no criminal record, believed to be responsible for the murder of Abdellatif Bensefiyan, 65, which occurred on Friday evening in the Sant'Osvaldo district of Udine. The alarm was raised at 19:48.
The suspect, formally resident in Rive d'Arcano, in the province of Udine, has in recent months been moving around the Codroipo area and surroundings. It is in this area that search operations are being concentrated, with patrols and intensified checks carried out by the carabinieri since Friday evening.
Law enforcement has increased surveillance at major transport hubs in the north-east: ports, airports and railway stations are being monitored in Veneto as well. Investigators believe the 32-year-old, after fleeing on foot across fields, may attempt to quickly leave Italy to reach Morocco, where he has family and interests.
The motive for the attack is believed to be linked to a romantic relationship, which ended around a month ago, that the man had had with the victim's sister. According to reconstructions, the 32-year-old ambushed Bensefiyan and then struck and killed him with a knife or screwdriver.
The victim worked in newspaper distribution and lived in Udine, where he leaves behind a partner. A file for murder has been opened at the Public Prosecutor's Office, a crime that could be aggravated by the hypothesis of premeditation.
Investigators are reconstructing a series of incidents preceding the murder. Four days before the event, the 32-year-old reportedly appeared at his ex's workplace in an attempt to meet with her. Faced with the woman's refusal, he allegedly uttered threats of death. Investigators are also looking into an incident that occurred on the Thursday before the murder, when a vehicle belonging to another family member of the woman was damaged.
Carabinieri are questioning witnesses, monitoring escape routes and sifting through footage from surveillance systems — both public and private — which could prove decisive in identifying the fugitive. The search continues.
Source: Il Fatto Quotidiano - Cronaca