Site icon KonnieMoments

American tourists, aged 18 and 19, confess to killing an undercover Italian policeman who tried to recover a backpack they stole during a bungled drug deal in Rome – where they were sold ground aspirin instead of cocaine

&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpcnt">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpa">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<span class&equals;"wpa-about">Advertisements<&sol;span>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"u top&lowbar;amp">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<amp-ad width&equals;"300" height&equals;"265"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; type&equals;"pubmine"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-siteid&equals;"109460728"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-section&equals;"1">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;amp-ad>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div><h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><strong>Two American teenage tourists in Rome confess to killing an undercover Italian policeman during a bungled drug deal  &&num;8211&semi;  who tried to recover a backpack they stole in Rome during a bungled drug deal where they were given ground aspirin instead of cocaine late on Friday<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><strong>Lee Elder Finnegan&comma; 19&comma; from San Francisco confessed to fatally stabbing 35-year-old paramilitary policeman Mario Cerciello Rega on Friday night&comma; police said<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><strong>Vice Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega&comma;who had just returned to work from his honeymoon&comma; suffered eight stab wounds and later died in hospital from his injuries&period; <&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><strong>His travelling companion Gabriel Christian Natale Hjorth&comma; 18&comma;<&sol;strong><strong> also from San Francisco&comma; were<&sol;strong><strong> present at the time of the fatal stabbing<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><strong>The two teens are said to have told officials they’d been looking to buy drugs &comma; cocaine&comma; in Rome’s Trastevere district at 2am but were sold crushed aspirin instead<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><strong>They were then captured on CCTV returning to track down the dealer who had sold them the fake cocaine but only managed to find an associate <&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><strong>The teens stole his backpack and demanded 100 Euros and a gram of drugs for its return&period; The man agreed but called police to recover it from them instead<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><b>After the undercover cops introduced themselves&comma; the two would be drug buyers reportedly&comma; &&num;8216&semi;didn&&num;8217&semi;t hesitate&&num;8217&semi; to attack the cops &&num;8211&semi; <&sol;b><b>A scuffle broke out where Finnegan stabbed Vice Brigadier Mario Rega eight times&comma; fatally striking him in the heart<&sol;b><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><b>No formal charges have been filed&comma; however b<&sol;b><b>oth of the teens have been placed in custody for aggravated homicide and attempted extortion<&sol;b><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;3d3030&semi;"><strong>The funeral for Rega is scheduled for Monday in the city of Somma Vesuviana&comma; at the same church where he wed less than two months ago<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"splitRight">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><strong><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;"><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-323559" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;07&sol;Lee-Elder-Finnegan-left-and-Gabriel-Christian-Natale-Hjorth-right-1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Lee Elder Finnegan &lbrack;left&rsqb;&comma; and Gabriel Christian Natale Hjorth &lbrack;right&rsqb;&comma; 1" width&equals;"665" height&equals;"430" &sol;>Suspects&colon; Teenage American tourists&comma; Lee Elder Finnegan &lbrack;left&rsqb;&comma; 19&comma; and Gabriel Christian Natale Hjorth &lbrack;right&rsqb;&comma; 18&comma; confessed to fatally stabbing 35-year-old paramilitary policeman during an apparent drug deal gone wrong&comma; Italian authorities said Saturday<&sol;span><&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div>Two San Francisco teens on a &OpenCurlyQuote;drug holiday’ in Rome have been arrested in the Italian capital on charges of murder and attempted extortion in connection with the fatal stabbing of a police officer on Friday morning&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Lee Elder Finnegan&comma; 19&comma; confessed to stabbing 35-year-old paramilitary policeman Mario Cerciello Rega to death during an apparent drug deal gone wrong&comma; Italian authorities said Saturday&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;A second California native&comma; Gabriel Christian Natale Hjorth&comma; 18&comma; was also involved in the scuffle that led to Rega&&num;8217&semi;s death&comma; police say&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;In a statement&comma; Roman police revealed that both of the men had been interrogated by Carabinieri officials and&comma; &OpenCurlyQuote;in the face of overwhelming evidence’&comma; they eventually confessed to the crimes&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;">&&num;8216&semi;It was me&comma; but I didn&&num;8217&semi;t think he was a policeman&comma;&&num;8217&semi; Finnegan is said to have told investigators&period; &&num;8216&semi;I was afraid of being cheated again&period;&&num;8217&semi;<&sol;span><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;"> <&sol;span><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-323553" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;07&sol;Mario-Cerciello-Rega-3&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Mario Cerciello Rega 3" width&equals;"689" height&equals;"747" &sol;><strong>CCTV footage showed two US tourists involved in the murder of Italian undercover cop&comma; Vice Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega&comma; bumbling their way through Rome on Friday&comma; in search of a drug deal<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;">The death of undercover cop&comma; Vice Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega&comma; shook Italians and has dominated headlines across the country&comma; with early reports suggesting the murderers were North African&comma; prompting an outpouring of anti-migrant messages on social media<br &sol;>&NewLine;<span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;">During the reported confession&comma; the two teens are said to have informed officials they’d been looking to buy drugs in Rome’s Trastevere district at 2am on Friday when they asked a local man&comma; Sergio Brugiatelli&comma; where they could find a dealer&period;<&sol;span><br &sol;>&NewLine;<&sol;span><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">&OpenCurlyQuote;The man pointed them to a supplier&comma; who reportedly sold them crushed medicine instead of cocaine&comma;’ a Carabinieri spokesman said&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Finnegan and Hjorth apparently realized they’d been defrauded when they attempted to snort the white powder but realized it was aspirin&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;They were then captured on CCTV returning to the square&comma; hoping to track down the dealer who had sold them the fake cocaine&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Their search for the dealer failed&comma; but they did find Brugiatelli&comma; and&comma; believing him to be an accomplice of the dealer&comma; the pair stole his bag and returned to their hotel&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Brugiatelli then rang his phone&comma; which was still inside the backpack&comma; and the two tourists demanded he pay them 100 euros and give them a gram of cocaine to see it returned&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;He agreed&period; However&comma; instead of going to meet the men himself&comma; Brugiatelli called police who sent two plain clothes officers to quiz the men&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<h6><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<h6><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-323564" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;07&sol;Gruesome-scene-in-Rome-where-Lee-Elder-Finnegan-and-Gabriel-Christian-Natale-Hjorth-stabbed-Brigadier-Mario-Cerciello-Rega-1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Gruesome scene in Rome where Lee Elder Finnegan and Gabriel Christian Natale Hjorth stabbed Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega 1&period;JPG" width&equals;"736" height&equals;"472" &sol;><strong><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;">Gruesome scene in Rome where Gabriel Christian Natale Hjorth stabbed Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega&period; The cop&&num;8217&semi;s partner<&sol;span><&sol;strong><strong style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;"><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;"> described the scene of Rega lying in a &&num;8216&semi;pool of blood&&num;8217&semi; dying <&sol;span><&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><strong><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;"><img class&equals;"alignnone wp-image-323555" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;07&sol;Mario-Cerciello-Rega-2&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Mario Cerciello Rega 2" width&equals;"712" height&equals;"532" &sol;>Vice Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega who had just returned to work from his honeymoon&comma; suffered eight stab wounds and later died in hospital from his injuries&period; The funeral for Rega is to be held on Monday in the city of Somma Vesuviana&comma; in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius&comma; at the same church where he was married less than two months ago<&sol;span><&sol;strong><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;">Two American tourists seen running away on security camera in Italy<&sol;span><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">The two officers approached Finnegan and Hjorth and announced they were Carabinieri&comma; but after brief exchange of words Finnegan pulled out a knife and stabbed Rega several times&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;ronmat96&period;fxexperts&period;hop&period;clickbank&period;net"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;wallstreet-forex&period;com&sol;images&sol;banners&sol;wsfr&lowbar;2&lowbar;evolution&lowbar;768x90&lowbar;1&period;jpg" rel&equals;"prettyPhoto"><&sol;a><br &sol;>&NewLine;The police said that the pair &&num;8216&semi;did not hesitate to engage in a scuffle which culminated in the tragic deadly wounding of Mario Rega Cerciello&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Rega&comma; who had just returned to work from his honeymoon&comma; suffered eight stab wounds to his back and chest&period; He later died in hospital from his injuries&comma; with one of the blows having struck his heart&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<script type&equals;"text&sol;javascript">&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;placement &equals; "adunit0"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;search&lowbar;bar &equals; "true"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;tracking&lowbar;id &equals; "konniemomen09-20"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;ad&lowbar;mode &equals; "manual"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;ad&lowbar;type &equals; "smart"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;marketplace &equals; "amazon"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;region &equals; "US"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;title &equals; "My Amazon Picks"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;linkid &equals; "4a7637e5f87e7c1e8b9534991c889996"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;asins &equals; "B07TPZ7PH5&comma;B002VBWIP6&comma;B07C438TMN&comma;B01LPZM7VI&comma;B07PTMKYS7"&semi;&NewLine;<&sol;script><br &sol;>&NewLine;<script src&equals;"&sol;&sol;z-na&period;amazon-adsystem&period;com&sol;widgets&sol;onejs&quest;MarketPlace&equals;US"><&sol;script><br &sol;>&NewLine;Finnegan however has tole investigators that neither Rega&comma; or the second officer Andrea Varriale&comma; identified themselves as Carabinieri&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;">However&comma; in a separate interview room Hjorth completely contradicted the claim and admitted both of the officers had disclosed their credentials&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<&sol;span>&&num;8216&semi;When we saw them we approached&comma; we qualified and after a few moments a struggle broke out&comma;&&num;8217&semi; said Rega&&num;8217&semi;s colleague Andrea Varriale to investigators&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8216&semi;After a while I heard Mario scream with multiple stabs&comma;&&num;8217&semi; he continued&period; &&num;8216&semi;I rushed to rescue him while they were running away&period; I immediately called for help and the operations center to ask for help and give a description of the two attackers&period;&&num;8217&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Varriale described Rega as being in a &&num;8216&semi;pool of blood&&num;8217&semi; as he laid dying on the ground&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<p> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;"><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-323561" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;07&sol;Lee-Elder-Finnegan-and-Gabriel-Christian-Natale-Hjorth-2&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Lee Elder Finnegan and Gabriel Christian Natale Hjorth 2&period;JPG" width&equals;"692" height&equals;"463" &sol;><strong>Italian Carabinieri said video surveillance and witnesses enabled allowed the quick identification of the two young Americans&period; The were arrested at a hotel near the scene of the knife attack<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;">The Carabinieri said video surveillance cameras and witnesses allowed them to quickly identify the two Americans and find them in a hotel&comma; the Le Meridien Visconti&comma; which was around the corner from the murder scene&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The Carabinieri said video surveillance cameras and witnesses allowed them to quickly identify the two Americans and find them in a hotel near the scene of the slaying&period; Police said the two Americans were &OpenCurlyQuote;ready to leave’ Italy when they were found<&sol;span><&sol;div>&NewLine;<div><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<p> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"overlay-icon mobile-gallery">&NewLine;<h6 class&equals;"mobile-gallery-icon"><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;"><img class&equals;"alignnone size-full wp-image-323562" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2019&sol;07&sol;Le-Meridien-Visconti-hotel-in-Via-Cesi-Rome-Italy-1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Le Meridien Visconti hotel in Via Cesi&comma; Rome&comma; Italy 1&period;JPG" width&equals;"697" height&equals;"432" &sol;><strong>The teen homicide suspects were staying at the Le Meridien Visconti hotel in Via Cesi&comma; just around the corner from the murder scene<&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;h6>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"artSplitter mol-img-group">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mol-img">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"image-wrap fff-pic">&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"color&colon; var&lpar;--color-text&rpar;&semi;">When officers stormed the room the two suspects were &OpenCurlyQuote;ready to leave’ Italy&comma; packing their bags and just about to head to the airport&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mol-para-with-font">Also found in the room was the knife – which was of &OpenCurlyQuote;considerable size’ – used to kill Rega and the clothes worn by the pair in the attack&comma; hidden behind ceiling tiles in their room&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&OpenCurlyQuote;After their arrest&comma; Elder Finnegan confessed on Friday night&comma;’ the spokesman revealed&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Both of the teens have been placed in custody for aggravated homicide and attempted extortion but are yet to be formally charged&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Brugiatelli&comma; the supposed fixer&comma; remains under house arrest as of Saturday morning&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<script type&equals;"text&sol;javascript">&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;placement &equals; "adunit0"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;search&lowbar;bar &equals; "true"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;tracking&lowbar;id &equals; "konniemomen09-20"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;ad&lowbar;mode &equals; "manual"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;ad&lowbar;type &equals; "smart"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;marketplace &equals; "amazon"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;region &equals; "US"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;title &equals; "My Amazon Picks"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;linkid &equals; "cf40f108bc52995ef5961a55baa747a4"&semi;&NewLine;amzn&lowbar;assoc&lowbar;asins &equals; "B07S1XXVC1&comma;B07RB46HPB&comma;B00L31AMKI&comma;B01LWPQJWH&comma;B07MVW7G2M&comma;B07S5K4KYY&comma;B07LC1MJJL&comma;B07B6FZGVZ&comma;B07BWHB6S3"&semi;&NewLine;<&sol;script><br &sol;>&NewLine;<script src&equals;"&sol;&sol;z-na&period;amazon-adsystem&period;com&sol;widgets&sol;onejs&quest;MarketPlace&equals;US"><&sol;script><br &sol;>&NewLine;The news of Rega’s death shook Italians and has dominated headlines across the country&comma; with early reports suggesting the murderers were North African&comma; fanning a wave of anti-migrant sentiments on social media&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;Italy’s hard-line Interior minister Matteo Salvini&comma; who has campaigned against migration&comma; demanded &OpenCurlyQuote;hard labor for life … for these b&ast;&ast;&ast;&ast;&ast;&ast;s&period;’<br &sol;>&NewLine;The funeral of Brigadier Cerciello Rega is to be held on Monday in the city of Somma Vesuviana&comma; in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius&comma; at the same church where he was married less than two months ago&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"moduleFull mol-video">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"item">&NewLine;<div id&equals;"v-4007610680573538507" class&equals;"vjs-video-container vjs-fixed vjs-span-two-col news"><&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"column-content cleared">&NewLine;<div class&equals;"shareArticles">&NewLine;<h1><&sol;h1>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;

Exit mobile version