New details, arrest in American woman's murder in Italy
Italian police have placed a man under arrest in connection with the murder of American Ashley Olsen.
The 35-year-old Florida native's naked body was discovered in her Florence apartment Saturday by her boyfriend.
Officials said the suspect, a 25-year-old Senegalese man identified as Tidiane Cheik Diaw, had only been in the country for several months and was working as a distributor for flyers for local nightclubs.
At a press conference Thursday morning, prosecutor Giuseppe Creazzo said Ashley Olsen had two fractures to her skull and had been strangled. There was also evidence of consensual sex before the murder.
Olsen was to be buried on Friday, and a huge turnout of from her neighbourhood is expected.
The case appears to have been solved in record time, says Pizzey -- not least because there was so much evidence available.
DNA analysis of a used condom and samples taken from under Olsen's fingernails and cigarette butt found in Olsen's bathroom led Italian police to the suspect, the prosecutors said Thursday.
He was also found in possession of Olsen's cell phone. According to the police, at some point the suspect took Olsen's phone and put his SIM card in it.
Witnesses saw the two enter Olsen's apartment together. They were also both seen on CCTV surveillance cameras in the area.
Both had been drinking and possibly taking drugs over the course of the night, Creazzo said.
Investigators have yet to identify a motive.
Her apartment was described by the landlady and Olsen's boyfriend as being in a state of disarray.
Olsen spent most of Friday night in the Montecarla nightclub, a Florence hot spot that had a history of problems with drug dealing and other public order offences.
Her father Walter was seen laying flowers outside the apartment where she was murdered on Monday. He said in a written statement at the time that he had confidence that the perpetrator of "a horrible and senseless crime" would be found and sentenced quickly.
In the statement Olsen described his daughter as "a beautiful and creative young woman, with a happy, exuberant and generous soul," adding..."we are heartbroken she was taken from us."
Olsen had been living in Florence for about three years and was described as well-known and popular in her neighborhood.
She came to Florence to be near her father and start life over after a divorce.
A prolific user of social media, she even posted a line from the book and movie "Eat, Pray, Love" about an American woman who came to Florence to find herself.
But her last post was of a graffiti with the words, "Kiss me hard before you go."
Diaw also apparently came to Florence --as an illegal migrant -- to find a new life. He is now charged with murder aggravated by cruelty.
Sabina Castelfranco contributed reporting from Florence.