ROME – The suspected killer of Giancarlo Nocchia, the 70-year-old jeweller found dead in his Via dei Gracchi shop last Wednesday, has hanged himself in his prison cell, less than 24 hours after his arrest.

32-year-old Ludovico Caiazza was caught by the police on a train from Caserta to Rome on Saturday, after having been on the run for more than five days. Despite the complete lack of contact made with family members or with his girlfriend, Caiazza was located by the police after his call made to a friend in Latina, telling him of his intention to return to Rome. The police then combed all trains heading to the Eternal City, and found Caiazza, with two revolvers, the victim’s mobile phone, and some doses of methadone in his possession.

Caiazza had an appointment, on Sunday afternoon, with a psychologist who had spoken of “his strong state of agitation,” but who had not reported any serious behavioural or psychological problems that would have foretold his following actions. That evening, he was found in his cell, hanged, with a bedsheet around his neck, fifteen minutes after the last prison guard check. When the guard found him, he loosened the noose and called 118, however his actions were to no avail as Caiazza was already dead.

There will be an inquest into the death at the Rome prison, Regina Coeli. Queries have been made as to why there were only two officers in place to guard over the 120 prisoners in the seventh unit, where Caiazza was imprisoned.