The fathers of two teenagers accused of murdering a policeman in Rome have spoken of their anguish at the ‘nightmare’ surrounding their boys.
Ethan Elder has told how he ‘feared the worst’ for his son Finnegan after seeing the pictures of him arrested at his hotel room and of co-accused Gabriel Natale-Hjorth blindfolded and chained in a police station.
Fabrizio Natale has told how he hugged and cried with his son Gabriel during an emotional meeting at a jail in central Rome where the two young Americans are being held in connection to the stabbing death of undercover police officer Mario Cerciello Rega.
‘We are very upset by the predicament he’s in, but we are all fully convinced of his innocence,’ Fabrizio said.
Elder, 61, said ‘It’s a nightmare. After seeing the picture of Gabriel [Natale-Hjorth] blindfolded and Fin in the hotel room my wife and I feared the worst for our son.
‘But we have been reassured that he has not been mistreated in any way.’
Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 18, (left) and Finnegan Lee Elder, 19, are accused of stabbing Deputy Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega to death on Friday in Rome. Gabriel’s father, Fabrizio Natale (right), said the family is upset but ‘we are all fully convinced of his innocence’
Ethan Elder (pictured arriving to visit his son in prison on Thursday) has told how he ‘feared the worst’ for his son Finnegan after seeing the pictures of him arrested at his hotel room and of co-accused Natale-Hjorth blindfolded and chained in a police station
Ethan (left) arrived at the Rome prison Thursday morning for an emotional two and a half hour reunion with his son, Finnegan (right)
The 61-year-old businessman declined to answer questions from more than a dozen journalists from Italy and the US who were awaiting his visit. Wearing a green polo shirt and tan chinos the father appeared stressed and concerned about his son’s situation
The family’s newly instructed lawyer Renato Borzone today cast doubt on the official version of events leading up to the fatal stabbing of Rega by Finnegan following a botched drug deal.
He said: ‘We are not convinced of how the final phase of the fight has been reconstructed [by the Italian authorities].’
Elder, a wealthy businessman from the affluent Mill Valley enclave of California’s Bay Area, said his wife, Leah, is expected to arrive in Rome within the next 24 hours to offer her support to their troubled son Finnegan.
Meanwhile Fabrizio Natale has revealed how he and his son Gabriel both broke down in tears during their first meeting at the Regina Coeli jail early Wednesday morning.
He said: ‘Me and my son, we hugged and cried together. Our meeting was very moving but also very difficult for both of us.’
Natale, 54, a wealthy financier, also from Mill Valley, California, continued: ‘There is no peace for what happened. We are very upset about the situation he is in but we are all fully convinced about his innocence.
Ethan Elder arrived in Rome Wednesday morning (left). His wife, Leah Elder (right), will be arriving to Rome in the next 24 hours
‘Gabriel never thought there would be a fight and did not know that his friend was armed. He only learned what really happened afterwards, at the moment of his arrest.’
He added: ‘During recent days I have read many incorrect things about my son. He is a normal kid who is studying to become an architect.
‘He is distraught about the death of the Carabinieri and as a father I can understand his family’s pain.’
Natale, who was born in Italy and brought his son Gabriel to the country every summer to spend time with his grandfather Giuseppe, declined to comment about the ‘blindfolding’ incident.
He said: ‘I’m not commenting about the treatment he suffered at the time of his arrest.
‘I know he suffered this treatment at the moment of the arrest. I know an investigation has been opened by the Rome prosecutor. And therefore, I’m convinced that if rules were broken someone will be held responsible.’
Rega (pictured with his wife) had recently returned from his honeymoon and not been scheduled to work when he and his partner were sent out in plainclothes to work a case involving an alleged extortion attempt over a drug deal, police said
Hundreds of people turned out to honorRega outside a chapel in Rome on Sunday
Natale said that he must return to the US shortly due to work commitments but that his ex-wife Heidi Hjorth will replace him in Rome to support their son Gabriel.
Ethan arrived at the Rome prison Thursday morning for an emotional two and a half hour reunion with his son.
He remained silent as he was ushered into the visitors’ entrance of the Regina Coeli holding jail at 11.25am.
The 61-year-old businessman declined to answer questions from more than a dozen journalists from Italy and the US who were awaiting his visit.
Wearing a green polo shirt and tan chinos the father appeared stressed and concerned about his son’s situation.
His US attorney Craig Peters, who is based in San Francisco and is believed to have traveled to Italy with Elder, left the jail ahead of his client.
The pair were driven to the jail in an Mercedes E-class limousine.
He did not speak as he was ushered into a Mercedes people-carrier by members of his Italian legal team shortly before 2pm local time.
Ethan, who arrived in Rome on Wednesday, had brought toiletries for his son Finnegan, which he carried in a white bag, to the jail.
Finnegan, 19, (left) told police he stabbed Italian police officer Rega because he thought the officer was going to strangle him on Friday while he interrupted a drug deal gone wrong. During questioning, Gabriel was seen blindfolded and chained in a police station
This picture was released by Italian Carabinieri during a press conference in Rome on Tuesday. It shows the knife used to stab Rega early Friday
Investigators allege the two officers were attacked immediately after they identified themselves as Carabinieri.
Prosecutors say Elder has confessed to knifing Rega 11 times. The officer later died at a local hospital.
Authorities have said Natale-Hjorth was suspected of fighting with the officer’s partner at the time.
Rega had recently returned from his honeymoon and not been scheduled to work when he and his partner were sent out in plainclothes to work a case involving an alleged extortion attempt over a drug deal, police said.
Prosecutors say Elder has confessed to knifing Rega (pictured) 11 times. The officer later died at a local hospital
The two Carabinieri went to meet people who demanded $112 and a gram of cocaine in exchange for returning a knapsack to an Italian man who was their intermediary for a drug deal that wasn’t consummated, according to prosecutors.
Italian authorities allege the two teenagers from California were the ones who showed up for a scheduled rendezvous.
They allege Finnegan Elder attacked Rega with a military-style attack knife he had brought with him from the US.
Prosecutors said police found the knife used in the slaying hidden in the dropped ceiling of the Americans’ hotel room.
Under Italian law, both the defendant who materially carries out a killing and others involved in the crime can each be charged with murder.
Investigators allege the two officers were attacked immediately after they identified themselves as Carabinieri.
The teens have contended that didn’t realize the men were police officers.
According to court documents, Elder told prosecutors during his interrogation he thought he was being strangled in a scuffle with the officer.
But prosecutors said there were no signs of physical injury on either teen.