24-06-2025
Breakthrough in gruesome murder of London-based scientist found hacked to pieces in Colombia
Colombian police have made a breakthrough in their investigation into the brutal murder and dismemberment of a UK-based Italian scientist.
Molecular biologist Alessandro Coatti was reported missing on April 4 after arriving in the coastal city of Santa Marta for a holiday.
Two days later, his body parts were found scattered across several different locations. His torso was discovered miles away from his dismembered legs, head, hands and feet.
Cops had wildly varying theories as to how and why the scientist, who previously worked at London 's Royal Society of Biology (RSB) for eight years as a senior policy officer, was murdered.
They ranged from a case of mistaken identity between battling cartels to a kidnapping at the hands of organ traffickers.
But investigators settled on the theory that Coatti fell victim to a gang that targets foreigners looking for dates, luring them to abandoned buildings before robbing them.
Colombian police this weekend swooped in to arrest four people, three men and one woman, they believe were complicit in the scientist's murder.
It comes as Coatti's remains arrived in Ravenna, close to his hometown of Longastrino in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, for further examination, the Italian embassy in Bogota announced.
Alessandro Coatti's head, hands and feet were found in a black suitcase while other parts were discovered wrapped in a bin bag floating in a river
Local news site Seguimiento Santa Marta release images of the four detainees arrested in connection with Coatti's murder
Local news site Seguimiento Santa Marta release images of the four detainees arrested in connection with Coatti's murder
The detainees were named by Colombian newspaper Hoy-Diario del Magdalena as Oswal Moises Ospino Navarro, arrested in Medellin, Isaac Enrique Màrquez Charris, captured in Arjona (Bolivar), Andrea Camila Berdugo Escorcia, in Bogotà, and Brian Augusto Cantillo Salcedo, arrested in Santa Marta.
Colonel Jaime Rios Puerto, commander of the Colombian Metropolitan Police, said investigators had confirmed the location of Coatti's murder and dismemberment and subsequently tracked the alleged perpetrators despite attempts to evade authorities.
Coatti's head, hands and feet were found in a suitcase near the Sierra Nevada stadium on April 6, two days after he was last seen leaving his hotel by the coast.
His torso and other body parts were then found near the Minuto de Dios bridge a day later, before his legs were found in a coffee sack near the stadium on Tuesday.
Investigators are yet to specify exactly how Coatti's murder transpired, but the leading theory is that the gang lured him to an abandoned property in San José del Pando, a neighbourhood of Santa Marta, under the pretence of a date.
There, they are thought to have tried to drug him with scopolamine, better known as 'Devil's Breath', an anti-sickness medication that can be used as a tranquiliser in higher doses.
Victims of the Devil's Breath can suffer temporary paralysis, confusion and sink into a stupor.
Cops believe the gang members may have tried to drug and tie up Coatti in an attempt to make him hand over his bank cards, pin codes and valuables, but attacked and killed him in a robbery-gone-wrong scenario, according to Italian outlet Corriere.
Coatti had worked at the Royal Society of Biology since April 2017 - first as a science policy officer and for the past six years as a senior science policy officer.
Before joining the professional association, created to advance the interests of biology in academia, industry, education and research, the Italian-born scientist had been a post-graduate neuroscience researcher at University College London.
He was among RSB representatives who appeared before Parliament, in June 2022, to discuss the future regulation of UK genetic technologies.
The RSB shared a touching tribute to Coatti in the wake of his death.
'We are devastated to announce the death of former colleague Alessandro Coatti who was murdered in Colombia.
'Alessandro, known as Ale... was a passionate and dedicated scientist, leading RSB animal science work, writing numerous submissions, organising events and giving evidence in the House of Commons.
'He will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his friends and family at this truly awful time.'
Coatti's LinkedIn profile was subsequently memorialised by the RSB as 'a tribute to his professional legacy'.
The molecular biologist last year departed the RSB to travel to South America.
He had spent time volunteering in Ecuador and Coatti's family members said he had gone on holiday to Colombia because he was entertaining the idea of moving there.
His uncle, Giovanni Coatti, previously said of his nephew: 'He wanted to go and live in South America so he went for a trip to see; he was supposed to be back next week.'
They are still working to understand whether or not he ever arrived, scouring CCTV and phone records.
According to his uncle, he would not have been an obvious target for thieves.
'He never had much money in his pockets, or a watch or other precious objects,' he said.
'All he had was a new mobile phone to take pictures but even that was a cheap one.'
