Colombian officials offer a $12,000 reward for information about the killing of an Italian tourist

BOGOTA, Colombia — Authorities in the Colombian city of Santa Marta announced a $12,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of those who killed an Italian tourist whose dismembered remains were found in a suitcase dumped on the city's outskirts.

In a message posted on X on Monday, Santa Marta Mayor Carlos Pinedo promised the gruesome death of Alessandro Coatti would not go unpunished.

“Delinquents must know that in Santa Marta there is no room for criminality, we will chase them until we bring them to justice," he wrote.

Coatti was a 42-year-old molecular biologist who was traveling in South America after working in London for eight years at the Royal Biological Society.

Investigators said the Italian tourist was dismembered after he was killed, with some of his remains stuffed into a black suitcase found by police Sunday.

A hotel worker who spoke to Colombian newspaper El Tiempo said Coatti had inquired about visiting the village of Minca and was conducting research on local animal species.

In a statement issued Tuesday the Royal Biological Society said it was “devastated” by news of Coatti's killing.

“Ale was funny, warm, intelligent, loved by everyone he worked with, and will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him,” the statement read.

Santa Marta is surrounded by pristine beaches and lush mountains that have made it a popular destination with international travelers. The city of half a million people has struggled to contain crime, however, and police registered 194 murders in 2024.