The body of a sports journalist, who was likely the victim of a murder, was found by firefighters who had been called to extinguish a fire in Empoli, south of Naples, Italian prosecutors announced.

The victim was 53-year-old Luigi Esposito, who covered events for several local media outlets in Italy.

“Preliminary findings suggest that the events are most likely linked to a homicide,” said Salerno prosecutor Raffaele Cantone.

He added that the spread of the fire led to the intervention of firefighters, who found the charred body in such a condition that it was initially impossible to determine the victim’s gender.

A bullet casing was also found at the scene, according to Corriere della Sera.

The National Union of Italian Journalists confirmed that the 53-year-old man, known by the nickname “Luca,” covered sporting events for several local media outlets. At the same time, however, he was also employed by the regional environmental agency.

Source: Proto Thema