Trap Date: Four Arrested for the Murder of Italian Biologist Alessandro Coatti

Santa Marta, Colombia – Colombian authorities arrested four people, three men and a woman, for their alleged involvement in the murder of Italian biologist Alessandro Coatti, whose body was dismembered and found in different locations in the city. The case, which has shocked both Colombia and Italy, remains under investigation with the support of the Rome Prosecutor's Office.

Alessandro Coatti came to Colombia with the purpose of exploring the country's culture and biodiversity. He was staying at a hotel in the historic center of Santa Marta and disappeared in early April after leaving for the town of Minca, in the Sierra Nevada. Since April 6, parts of his body began to be found in different parts of the city, launching a joint investigation between Colombian and Italian authorities.

Thanks to access to the victim's electronic devices, investigators were able to reconstruct his last movements and collect crucial evidence. This information led to an abandoned house in the San José del Pando neighborhood, where he was allegedly held, tortured, and later dismembered. Biological traces were found there that confirmed Coatti's presence.

In total, 11 searches were carried out, including the property where the crime allegedly occurred, and objects believed to belong to the victim were seized. Authorities also analyzed security cameras and collected testimony that helped identify the suspects.

Coatti was registered on a dating platform (Grindr) frequented by members of the LGBTIQ+ community, where he allegedly contacted a man for a meeting. The most likely hypothesis suggests that the biologist was kidnapped, drugged, and murdered during an attempted robbery that got out of hand and ended violently.

The detainees were located in different regions of the country, which indicates an attempt to evade authorities. They are:

Oswal Moisés Ospino Navarro, arrested in Medellín.

Isaac Enrique Márquez Charris, arrested in Arjona, Bolívar.

Andrea Camila Berdugo, located in Bogotá.

Brian Augusto Cantillo Salcedo, apprehended in Santa Marta.

All were placed at the disposal of the Attorney General's Office for the crimes of aggravated homicide and aggravated theft.

The director of the National Police, Major General Carlos Fernando Triana, reported that this was a coordinated operation with the Prosecutor's Office and the Mayor's Office of Santa Marta. A second phase of the operation is expected to identify more people involved in this tragic event.

International collaboration has been key to advancing the clarification of this case, which has shaken both the local and Italian communities.