Italian referee Daniele De Santis and his fiance Eleonora Manta have been stabbed to death at their home in Lecce. Police have launched an investigation into the double murder that occurred on Monday. Cops raided the property after reports of screams, with La Repubblica stating that De Santis' body was found on the second-floor staircase of their apartment complex, while Manta's was discovered inside their home. Initial reports suggest that witnesses saw a man leaving the scene with a knife and a backpack. Police have not yet formally identified a suspect. The area around the apartment shared by De Santis, 33, and Manta, 30, is covered by CCTV, which will provide key evidence for police, although early witness statements suggest that the perpetrator concealed their face.
De Santis (photo) began refereeing professionally in 2017, making his Serie B debut as fourth official for a clash between Pisa and Benevento that same year. The head of the Italian Referee Association Marcello Nicchi has offered an early statement on De Santis' tragic passing: "I am shocked by this tragedy. We still know very little about the case. The thing I can say is that we are in close contact with the family and with all the people in the AIA section."
Source: The Sun
