A British man has been arrested in italy has been arrested in Italy for the murder of a tour guide and the attempted killing of another man.
Police in Rome have confirmed Jason Peter Marshall, 24, is the prime suspect in the murder of tour guide Vincenzo Iale, found strangled and stabbed to death in his flat at Torvajanica, on the outskirts of Rome, four weeks ago with his bank card missing.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that the two were alleged to have had sex, then Iale was stabbed several times in the chest and strangled with an electrical cord around his neck.
The paper said Marshall was unemployed and had been in the country since January 11.
Marshall is alleged to have later attempted to kill another, as-yet-unnamed 55-year-old man in a Rome apartement
Italian police said that Marshall was traced him through his mobile phone signal to a Rome night bus, and is now in custody. It is believed he met both men through gay internet chat rooms.
Marshall, from Greenwich, was sought after a police were called to the aid of 55-year-old man in a Rome apartment, who told them he had been threatened with a gun, badly beaten with a telescopic cosh and smothered with a pillow, Sky News reported.
He is alleged to have taken £348 in euros, credit cards and the victim's iPad.
A Rome police source told Sky: "This could easily have been a double murder investigation and the second victim - although badly hurt - can think himself lucky he is not dead."
He is being held in Regina Coeli prison in Rome on suspicion of murder, kidnap and possessing offensive weapons.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the arrest of a Britain national in Italy on February 22.
"We are providing consular assistance."