Italians may have 4th suspect in student slaying
ROME - Italian news reports Sunday said investigators are believed to have identified a “fourth suspect” in the slaying of a 21-year-old British student.
He was identified as a man from the Ivory Coast with a known criminal record and is believed to have been formally placed under investigation.
Phone calls to prosecutors were not answered Sunday, and messages left with police seeking confirmation were not returned.
Meredith Kercher was found dead Nov. 2 in her apartment in Perugia, northeast of Rome. She was sexually assaulted and fatally stabbed.
Lawyers for two suspects jailed in connection with the slaying said Sunday they were hopeful their clients could soon be freed.
But a lawyer for the victim’s 20-year-old American roommate, University of Washington student Amanda Knox - was less hopeful.
Luciano Ghirga said reports about a fourth suspect may change little for Knox, who accused one of the other suspects of the killing.
To date, no charges have been filed, and the suspects deny involvement.