Murder at Torre Rinalda: 33-year-old arrested for death of Antimo Mazzotta
Carabinieri in Lecce have arrested Emmanuel Greco, 33, for the murder of Antimo Mazzotta, a 78-year-old found in an artesian well. The crime is believed to be linked to an economic dispute over maintenance work.
Breakthrough in Torre Rinalda murder investigation
According to lecceprima.it, carabinieri from the investigative unit in Lecce have placed Emmanuel Greco, a 33-year-old from Surbo, under arrest on suspicion of murder and concealment of a corpse. The victim is Antimo Mazzotta, 78, originally from Squinzano, found dead in an artesian well on his estate at Torre Rinalda.
The investigation, conducted by Lieutenant Colonel Cristiano Marella, concluded after intensive work cross-referencing telephone records, witness statements, and site inspections. Greco, an unemployed man who earns a living from occasional hydraulic work, was identified also thanks to accounts from a neighbour who reported hearing Mazzotta arguing heatedly with a man around lunchtime on the Sunday when the crime is believed to have occurred.
The motive is strictly economic in nature: at the root of the murder was a dispute relating to maintenance work at the artesian well, specifically work that the victim had contested. This element allowed investigators to rule out initial theories linked to robbery or personal matters.
According to investigations, Mazzotta was killed with a modified 9-calibre blank-firing pistol, struck by a single shot to the face. The weapon, already located by officers in a derelict building in the Surbo area, contained four rounds of the same calibre, whilst a further twenty-three 9mm short rounds were recovered from the same location.
After fatally shooting the victim outside the property in contrada Barone, the killer allegedly dragged the body across the ground using a cart before throwing it four metres deep into the well and closing the hatch. He subsequently attempted to eliminate traces by washing blood-stained surfaces with water, although a visible trail of blood remained visible on the ground. The suspect is also believed to have disposed of the DVR device from the video surveillance system, which was found to have been removed from the location.
During a search of Greco's home, carabinieri found and seized clothing that, according to investigations, is believed to have been worn by the man on the day of the crime. Investigators believe they have assembled a solid and particularly serious body of circumstantial evidence, consolidated in the hours immediately following the discovery of the body.
Represented by lawyers Federico Martella and Francesco Martinese, the suspect appeared before public prosecutor Luigi Mastroniani for questioning. Greco chose to exercise his right not to answer the magistrate's questions.
In the coming hours, Greco will be subjected to a hearing to validate the arrest, a decisive step that will formally confirm the charges brought by the prosecution and the evidence gathered during the investigation.
Source: Google News IT — Crime (it)