Italy: US Tourist Granted House Arrest After Initially Given Life Imprisonment in Murder Case; Decision Leaves Widow “Shocked”

Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth, an American tourist convicted of the murder of Italian police officer Mario Cerciello Rega, has been moved to house arrest, a decision that has left the victim’s widow, Rosa Maria Esilio, “totally shocked,” according to her lawyer, Massimo Ferrandino. Natale-Hjorth, along with his friend Finnegan Lee Elder, was initially given a life sentence for the 2019 stabbing of Cerciello Rega in Rome after a botched drug deal.

Although Natale-Hjorth did not wield the knife, he was involved in a struggle with another officer during the incident. His sentence was reduced to 11 years and four months on appeal, while Elder received a sentence of 15 years and two months and remains in prison. The court’s decision to grant Natale-Hjorth house arrest allows him to serve his term at his grandmother’s house near Rome, though the exact reasons for this decision were not immediately disclosed.

The incident occurred when Elder and Natale-Hjorth, both from California, attempted to buy drugs during a holiday in Rome. After being cheated, they stole a bag from an intermediary and arranged a meeting to exchange the bag for money. Instead of the dealer, two plainclothes police officers, including Cerciello Rega, arrived. Elder and Natale-Hjorth’s defence argued they acted in self-defence, mistaking the officers for thugs.

Prosecutors have the option to appeal the reduced sentences before Italy’s highest court. The case continues to draw attention and controversy, reflecting the complexities and challenges within Italy’s judicial system.