Dismembered physique of UK-based scientist discovered stuffed in suitcase however torso nonetheless lacking
The body of Alessandro Coatti, who was working for the prestigious Royal Society of Biology in London, has been found inside a suitcase in a stream in Columbia by a group of children
The dismembered body of a UK-based scientist has been found in a suitcase in Colombia, sparking a murder probe.
Alessandro Coatti, 42, was found dumped in a stream in the Caribbean city of Santa Marta by a group of children. The city’s mayor has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Police are said to have found only Mr Coatti’s head, hands and feet and are said to be still searching for his torso and other parts of his body.
The Italian-born trained molecular biologist had worked at the prestigious Royal Society of Biology since April 2017, first as a science policy officer and then as a senior science policy officer.
Santa Marta’s mayor Carlos Pinedo Cuello has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. He said on Monday evening: “I have instructed the authorities to join forces to solve the death of the Italian citizen Alessandro Coatti.
“We are offering a reward of fifty million Colombian pesos for information that will allow us to identify and capture those responsible. “This crime will not go unpunished. Criminals must know that in Santa Marta criminality has no place. We will pursue them until they are brought to justice.”
Mr Coatti, who was staying at a hostal in Santa Marta’s scenic historic centre was last seen seen leaving on Friday, and is believed to have been on holiday in the area. The spot where he was found is by a road leading to the Sierra Nevada football stadium, which was the host stadium for the football matches at the 2017 Bolivarian Games and is the home stadium of local side Union Magdalena.
He is said to have been identified by a hotel wristband on one of the parts of his body that were discovered, the Daily Mail reports. Mr Coatti described himself on his social media as a “driven and enthusiastic senior professional with more than seven years experience of influencing public policy through science” as well as a “big picture thinker and creative problem solver”
His professional biog shows he spent more than a year between 2010 and 2011 working as a staff research associate at the Medical Research Council. From September 2011 to June 2013 he was a postgraduate researcher in neuroscience at University College London.
In October last year he spoke about his work at the Royal Society of Biology and his career trajectory for an Offspring Magazine podcast.
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