Man found dead in canal after escaping clinic: tragedy at Christmas

The story of Vincenzo Lombardi, 64, originally from Marcianise, who passed away last Sunday after leaving a clinic in Lago Patria, ended in the most tragic way.

His lifeless body was found at dawn yesterday in one of the drainage canals that border the countryside of Via Madonna del Pantano, between Licola and Varcaturo.

The man, suffering from a psychiatric illness that had profoundly affected his life, had left the facility after lunch on Sunday. Internal security cameras captured him at 2:20 PM climbing over the courtyard wall and heading toward the road. He had disappeared from that point.

The search continued nonstop for two days, coordinated by the Carabinieri with the support of family members and volunteers. Drones and sniffer dogs from the Phlegraean Field Dog Training Center were also deployed, and on Monday afternoon they identified the man's last known location in the countryside where he was found a few hours later.

Officers from the Varcaturo station and the Giugliano company responded to the scene, along with paramedics from the 118 emergency medical service, who confirmed the death, and forensic scientists who conducted their investigations. The body was later identified by family members.
The body was seized by order of the public prosecutor on duty, who ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Initial examinations revealed no signs of violence.

At the time of his disappearance, Vincenzo Lombardi was wearing a blue tracksuit and a black cap; he had no money or cell phone with him. Investigators are also analyzing footage from security cameras along the Via Domitiana and Via Madonna del Pantano.