Prisoner accused of Messina murder dies by suicide

Bessem Slimeni, a 22-year-old Tunisian national and confessed killer of Melissa Echevarria, has died by suicide in the Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto prison in the Messina province.

Slimeni was found hanging from the window bars of his cell. He had been arrested on September 22 following the August 12 murder of 40-year-old Melissa Echevarria in Messina. Slimeni had previously confessed to the crime, claiming the incident arose from a dispute over 100 euros.

Prior to his death, Slimeni had been under a special surveillance regime due to reported psychological disturbances. The Prosecutor's Office of Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, led by Chief Prosecutor Giuseppe Verzera, has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the death and ordered the seizure of the detainee's medical records. Authorities are investigating why his special surveillance status had been revoked just one day before the incident. An autopsy is scheduled to take place this Wednesday.