Italian police officer’s widow ‘totally shocked’ as US tourist convicted of his murder is given house arrest

Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth will serve rest of his 11-year sentence at grandmother’s home near Rome

Finnegan Lee Elder, left, and Gabriel Natale Hjorth, centre, appear in court on 26 June 2024 (AP)

An Italian court has granted house arrest for an American tourist convicted of murdering a plainclothes police officer, shocking the victim’s widow.

Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth and his friend Finnegan Lee Elder were initially given life sentences for killing Mario Cerciello Rega, 35, a Carabinieri police officer following a botched drug deal in 2019.

After a series of appeals, an Italian court reduced Natale-Hjorth’s sentence to 11 years and four months. His lawyers argued he should be allowed to serve the rest of his sentence at his grandmother’s home near Rome.

The court granted the request on Monday but didn’t immediately provide the reasons for this decision.

Natale-Hjorth, 23, will now be detained at his grandmother’s house, The Guardian reported.

Natale-Hjorth and Elder were on vacation when they encountered plainclothes police after a failed drug deal. Elder allegedly stabbed one of the officers while Natale-Hjorth ran away.

They initially received life terms, but Elder’s sentence was reduced to 15 years because the officers had not properly identified themselves. Elder has claimed he believed the officers were thugs connected to the drug dealer.

Carabinieri deputy brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega, 35, was stabbed to death in Rome on 26 July 2019 (Carabinieri)

Rosa Maria Esilio, widow of the murdered police officer, was “totally shocked by the news” of the court putting Natale-Hjorth under house arrest, her lawyer Massimo Ferrandino said in a statement.

Natale-Hjorth’s family was quoted as saying by ABC7 News: “We are delighted with the outcome and look forward to welcoming Gabriel back to his family home soon.”

Elder’s family said they were “so relieved for this chapter for Gabe and his family to be over and a new phase to begin”.

Elder will remain in prison to serve out his sentence.