A convicted murderer who was granted permission to work outside prison died by suicide on Sunday by jumping off the Milan Cathedral after reportedly stabbing a colleague, according to local media.
The individual, identified as 35-year-old Emanuele De Maria, fell from the gothic cathedral onto the square below, dropping a distance of “dozens of metres.”
The area around the Duomo, a Milan landmark, is typically crowded, but reports indicate no bystanders were injured.
Authorities identified Mr De Maria, who had appeared on Italian television last year discussing prison life, through an identity card found in his pocket and his tattoos, as reported by several sources, including the Milan daily Corriere della Sera.
He was serving a 14-year sentence for the murder of a woman in 2016. For nearly two years, he had been working part-time in a hotel near Milan’s central station.
Police had been searching for him since Friday, following allegations that he had stabbed a work colleague.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact the Suicide Prevention Helpline at 0800 32 123. This service is anonymous, free, and available 24/7. More information can be found at www.preventionsuicide.be.
