Corpo in valigia a Gżira: mistero su morte e movente

The scene of the crime last Monday. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Police are working to determine whether the victim found in a suitcase off Gżira on Monday was murdered before his body was dismembered and discarded in the sea.

Forensic experts are conducting further tests to uncover the circumstances surrounding the , believed to be a Colombian drug mule.

A 43-year-old man, also a Colombian national, remains in custody and is expected to face charges by Saturday, including drug trafficking and concealing a corpse. However, it remains unclear if he will also be charged with murder, as investigators continue to piece together evidence.

How did the victim die?

Sources close to the investigation say the victim’s autopsy revealed asphyxiation as the cause of death. However, experts are examining whether this was the result of strangulation or other factors, such as a possible overdose caused by burst cocaine capsules inside the victim’s stomach. Further studies are being carried out to establish if there are any visible marks of violence.

Advertisement

Details have started emerging of the trail which led to the as well as a 39-year-old Portuguese national at a flat in Msida.

Tracking down the suspect

The breakthrough in the case came when police identified the suitcase containing the body as having been purchased from a hardware store in Naxxar. CCTV footage from the shop showed a man buying a suitcase and an axe.

Acting swiftly, authorities distributed images of the suspect to airport and port officials to prevent the possibility of leaving the island. Footage was also analysed of passengers leaving the airport before the discovery was made.

Investigators kept tracking the suspect’s movements through extensive CCTV analysis from different areas. While raids in areas such as Naxxar and St Julian’s yielded no results, police eventually located the Msida flat where the Colombian suspect had been staying.

Drug-related items were also recovered from the property. The Portuguese man is also under investigation to determine if he played any part in the case.

If the suspect is charged with murder, it would mark the fifth homicide case in Malta this year. Four individuals have already been arraigned in connection with other killings.

Advertisement