Bogota – A tragedy has shocked the Italian community abroad. Alessandro Coatti, 42, an Italian researcher, was brutally killed and dismembered in Santa Marta, a tourist resort in the Colombia overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The Italian Embassy in Bogotá confirmed the news.
The macabre discovery occurred near the city stadium, where police found a suitcase containing the man's head and arms. Identification was possible thanks to a hotel bracelet that Coatti was wearing on his wrist.
Other remains of the body were later found in another area of the city, fueling the hypothesis of a premeditated and particularly violent crime.
According to initial reconstructions provided by local authorities, the researcher had gone out on Saturday evening to go to a nightclub, but from that moment on his tracks had been lost.
The mayor of Santa Marta, Carlos Pinedo Cuello, announced in a Facebook post that a reward of 50 million Colombian pesos (about 10.000 euros) is being offered to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
"This crime will not go unpunished. The criminals must know that in Santa Marta, crime has no place. We will pursue them until they are brought to justice," the mayor said.
Coatti was in Colombia for tourism. The Farnesina, in constant contact with the Colombian authorities, is closely following the development of the investigation, while concern for the safety of Italian citizens in some areas of the South American country is growing.
Article published on 8 April 2025 - 18:18
This news is truly tragic and leaves a lot of sadness. The safety of our fellow citizens abroad is important, but sometimes things happen that cannot be explained. We hope that justice will be done for Alessandro.