Italian police investigating death of Leeds man in Sicily
Italian authorities are investigating the death of a Leeds man whose body was found in Sicily on Sunday
Italian authorities are investigating the death of a Leeds man whose body was found in Sicily on Sunday.
A Carabinieri spokesperson said Benjamin John Braithwaite, 35, who was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, was found at around 3am on September 13 near Noto in the Province of Syracuse.
The spokesperson confirmed a rope was found nearby, while the presence of injuries or signs of violence - including possible injuries to the neck - remains under investigation.
Investigators are also investigating whether drugs or other substances were present, the spokesperson said.
No evidence linked to esoteric rituals was found near the body, authorities said, despite local reports.
The spokesperson said: “A drawing with esoteric connotations was found on a perimeter wall of the property.
“It was not near the location where the body was found.”
The investigation is being handled by Carabinieri based in Noto, co-ordinated by the public prosecutor’s office of the court of Syracuse.
An autopsy is scheduled for September 22, with inquiries continuing to establish the circumstances of Mr Braithwaite’s death and its exact legal classification.
The Carabinieri spokesperson said there are currently no suspects under investigation.
A British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Italy and are in touch with the local authorities.”