The burnt remains of football journalist Luigi ‘Luca’ Esposito were discovered in a remote field in Salerno, Italy, with the 53-year-old also found to have been shot
A football journalist has been shot dead and set on fire in an execution that has rocked the sports world.
Friends of Luigi ‘Luca’ Esposito had grown worried after losing contact with the 53-year-old on Saturday night.
Firefighters were then called to the scene of a blaze at a remote field in Salerno, Italy, where they discovered his charred remains in the early hours of Sunday, July 19.
Prosecutors in Salerno, led by anti-mafia chief Raffaele Cantone, are treating the case as a murder. Officers had recovered bullet casings near Luigi’s body at Bivio Cioffi in Salerno and were able to help identify him as his car was discovered nearby.
An autopsy is due to confirm the exact cause of death.
Investigators are looking closely at Luigi’s private life for possible motives, including financial or passionate disputes. Police are yet to rule out any theories.
The victim, originally from Nocera Inferiore and a passionate Salernitana 1919 fan, ran the website TuttoSalernitana.com.
He also worked as a columnist for La Città di Salerno and as a regular pundit on OttoChannel TV, covering Serie B sides including Avellino and Juve Stabia.
Colleagues said he was outspoken, fearless and full of contacts in the football world.
OttoChannel director Pierluigi Melillo said: “Luca was a precious collaborator – awkward but never banal, always brave in defending his opinions on football. He was due to be one of our star pundits next season.”
Melillo added the team was “shocked and incredulous” at the “horrible execution”.
Luigi, who had 15,500 Instagram followers, had two degrees in biology and literature.
His sister said he was a calm man with no known enemies.
Police have not yet made any arrests and an investigation into Luigi’s death is ongoing.
