MALCONTENTA MURDER: LOCAL POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED - Massimiliano Mancini - ETHICA SOCIETAS-Rivista di scienze umane e sociali

Riccardo Salvagno of the Venice Local Police accused of the voluntary murder of the 25-year-old bartender Sergiu Tarna, killed on New Year’s Day

Abstract: The murder of Sergiu Tarna, a 25-year-old bartender found dead on December 31 in an agricultural field in Malcontenta di Mira, has given rise to a complex and multifaceted judicial investigation. The inquiry, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, developed through the analysis of telephone records, video surveillance footage, and the victim’s electronic devices, leading to the arrest of Riccardo Salvagno, an officer of the Venice Local Police, considered to be strongly suspected of the crime. The motive, the possible presence of an accomplice, and any connection to criminal contexts related to drug trafficking remain under investigation.

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The facts and the context

A gunshot to the head killed Sergiu Tarna, a 25-year-old bartender of Moldovan origin, whose body was found on December 31 in an agricultural field in Malcontenta di Mira, in the province of Venice. The external examination and the first medico-legal investigations established that death was caused by a gunshot wound to the head.

The young man was found lifeless in an isolated area not connected to his usual places or activities. From the very first forensic findings, the presence of a gunshot wound to the head ruled out any accidental or natural cause of death, directing the investigation toward the hypothesis of intentional homicide. While the exact dynamics remain to be clarified, the circumstances suggest premeditation.

According to Prosecutor Ancilotto, this was a true execution-style killing, and the perpetrator was assisted by at least one accomplice, who was also captured on surveillance camera footage. Investigations are ongoing to identify this individual.

The investigative activity and the arrest

The investigations, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, focused on reconstructing the victim’s last movements, his personal and professional relationships, the contacts he had in the hours preceding his death, and the possible motive.

Based on the analysis of phone records, witness statements, and surveillance camera footage, investigators arrested Riccardo Salvagno, an officer of the Venice Municipal Police, on suspicion of intentional homicide. The restrictive measure was ordered on the basis of the existence of serious indications of guilt and precautionary needs, pursuant to Articles 273 and 274 of the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure.

One of the elements that led investigators to focus on him was his unexplained absence from work for several days.

The crucial role of surveillance footage

Footage extracted from various public and private surveillance systems located in areas relevant to the investigation—more than 200 hours in total—was analyzed. Investigators identified a car linked to the arrested individual that was present at the crime scene within a time frame compatible with the murder, which occurred during the night of December 31.

In that same vehicle, the 25-year-old Moldovan victim, just after leaving a bar in Venice-Chirignago, was allegedly forced to get in under threat of a firearm and driven to the location where he was killed.

Messages found on the victim’s phone

During examinations of the victim Sergiu Tarna’s mobile phone, investigators reportedly found messages containing threats, including a phrase such as: “Get ready, I will hunt you down.”

These messages are now undergoing forensic analysis to determine their origin, timing, and the context in which they were sent. Investigators are assessing whether they are directly linked to the motive for the murder or whether they relate to earlier circumstances not necessarily connected to the final event.

It is considered plausible that the motive for the murder may be connected to a criminal context involving illicit drug trafficking in which the victim may have become involved.

Drugs and the nightclub environment

Among the hypotheses under examination is the existence of a so-called “compromising” video allegedly involving a nightclub dancer.

Another aspect under investigation concerns a possible context related to drug dealing or drug use, particularly cocaine. Even in this case, investigators have not made any definitive accusations: these remain investigative hypotheses aimed at understanding whether the victim or the suspect may have come into contact with potentially dangerous or conflict-prone environments.

Toxicological analyses and further checks on the victim’s phone contacts and social circles are still ongoing.

The trip to Spain and the arrest

After the murder, the suspect left Italy on a flight to Spain, making an initial stop in Tenerife, where he reportedly had acquaintances, before moving on to Madrid. He then returned to Venice airport during the night between January 5 and 6, where he was picked up by his father—who is not under investigation and is considered completely unrelated to the case—who dropped him off in the fields of Malcontenta. Salvagno’s trips abroad were not unusual, as his mother, separated from his father, lives in Spain.

Investigators, who were already tracking him, located him after his mobile phone reconnected to Italian cell towers. They searched the countryside using thermal cameras and drones provided by the fire brigade. During the night of January 6, he was found near his residence, not far from the crime scene, and arrested.

After the completion of the required formalities, Riccardo Salvagno was taken to the Santa Maria Maggiore Prison in Venice, at the disposal of the judicial authority.

Pre-trial detention in prison was ordered due to the existence of precautionary needs, in particular the risk of reoffending and the assessed dangerousness of the suspect.

Who the alleged killer in uniform is

Riccardo Salvagno was born in Chioggia on December 13, 1985. He holds a diploma from a commercial technical institute and had no prior criminal record.

After working as a security guard, he joined the Padua Municipal Police in 2019 after passing a competitive examination. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he chose not to be vaccinated and was therefore suspended.

On September 1, 2022, he transferred through mobility to the Venice Municipal Police, where he initially worked in the housing sector, dealing with occupancy issues. After reporting difficulties in his working relationships, he was reassigned to the operations center, where he was later accused of using control room surveillance cameras for personal purposes, focusing on specific locations. As a result, management decided to transfer him again.

Last summer, he reportedly experienced a crisis, stating that he could no longer cope with work rhythms and expressing an intention to resign, although he ultimately did not do so. He was also absent from work for a period, and his service weapon was temporarily withdrawn.

In 2024, he ran for election to the municipal council of Spinea (Venice) on a list close to the Christian Democracy party.

The General Commander of the Venice Municipal Police, Marco Agostini, in expressing his closeness to the victim’s family, announced that the lagoon municipality will join the proceedings as a civil party and stated: “Although no responsibility on our part has emerged, we are reflecting on the advisability of introducing further checks on armed personnel and during the selection process; moreover, the individual came to us through a transfer from Padua, and previously from Vicenza, and if he had a reputation it was that of being a slacker rather than a violent person. Unfortunately, however, it is not always possible to detect potential warning signs in individuals.”