An investigation is underway to understand how a British man died in Sicily, as local media has suggested his death could have been part of a spiritual ritual.
A Carabinieri spokesperson said Benjamin John Braithwaite, 35, who was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, was found at around 3am on Sunday between Noto and Canicattini Bagni in the Syracuse province.
They confirmed a rope was found nearby, while the presence of injuries or signs of violence – including possible injuries to the neck – remains under investigation.
Investigators are also investigating whether drugs or other substances were present, the spokesperson said.
A British foreign office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Italy and are in touch with the local authorities.”
Authorities have said there is no evidence linked to esoteric rituals found near the body, despite local reports.
According to La Repubblica, the man was found naked near a farmhouse, where members of a secluded community had apparently been living. Local reports claimed that imagery had been found nearby of “a goat's head, several bottles of psychotropic drugs, and other objects suggesting esoteric rituals”.
Esoteric rituals are spiritual or magical traditions that can be performed by a group.
Syracuse chief prosecutor Sabrina Gambino has opened a murder investigation and ordered an autopsy.
“A drawing with esoteric connotations was found on a perimeter wall of the property,” the spokesperson said. “It was not near the location where the body was found.”
Paolo Amenta, mayor of Canicattini Bagni and president of ANCI Sicilia, said that the people living in the abandoned farmhouses of that area were graduates who chose to live in isolation and he hoped the investigation could clarify what happened.
"The young people who decided to live in those areas are also graduates who chose to leave everything behind. We hope the investigations can clarify what happened.
“These are people I've met in the evenings, especially during events organised in the village. They've always been kind. They live in reorganised villages surrounded by nature."
An autopsy is scheduled for 22 September, with inquiries continuing to establish the circumstances of Mr Braithwaite’s death.
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