ROME – The corpse of Alessandro Fiori, an Italian national who was reported missing in Istanbul on March 14, has been found near to the sea, according to the Italy’s Foreign Ministry and the Italian consulate in the Turkish capital, after a witness alleged the victim had spoken of a mysterious meeting.

 Fiori, 33, arrived in Turkey on March 12, however, his family had received no contact from him two days later.

 Fiori is believed to have disappeared the day he arrived. Surveillance footage captured him on the road that leads to the Italian consulate. His mobile phone and wallet were discovered in a bin of the hotel where he was staying.  

 The body was discovered in Sarayburnu, a central district of Istanbul. Witnesses to the corpse reported to La Repubblica that Fiori’s skull had been smashed in.

 The victim’s father, Eligio Fiori, had already been in Turkey for some days, in the hope of spurring the police’s search efforts. He had even appeared on Turkish television, providing a physical description of his son and specifying the circumstances of his disappearance.

 During the programme, a passenger on the flight with Fiori reported that he had been carrying two mobile phones and had talked of having to meet someone.

 Eligio is believed to have identified the body and provided DNA for the confirmation of its identity. The remains will now be taken by Turkish police for further testing and an autopsy to clarify the cause of death.  

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