Crime

Italian Homeless Man Arrested In The Death Of US College Student

Italian police said Tuesday they had detained 40-year-old Massimo Galioto in the death of University of Wisconsin-Madison student Beau Solomon.

Italian Homeless Man Arrested In The Death Of US College Student
WGBA / Holly Baker

A homeless man has been arrested in the death of an American college student whose body was found in Rome's Tiber River Monday.

Italian police said Tuesday they had detained 40-year-old Massimo Galioto in the killing of University of Wisconsin-Madison student Beau Solomon. 

According to CBS, police said in a statement Galioto was taken into custody because he was "seriously suspected of aggravated homicide for futile motives."

A day before the arrest, one of Solomon's three brothers told the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel authorities were trying to determine if the 19-year-old was robbed and killed. 

His body was reportedly found with a head wound and a bloodied shirt, and his credit card was used after he vanished.

"Most responsible kid ever. ... This is just so uncharacteristic of Beau," his brother Cole Solomon told WKOW.

Solomon was last seen alive Thursday night at a pub with several of his classmates shortly after arriving in Rome for a study abroad program at John Cabot University. 

His roommate reported him missing to Italian authorities the next morning after he didn't show up to orientation.

The university released a statement Monday confirming his death: "We express our most heartfelt condolences to the Solomon family and to all those who loved Beau."

According to Italian media, preliminary autopsy results indicate Solomon sustained injuries consistent with a fall, and his body spent days in the river. His exact cause of death has yet to be determined.

This video includes clips from WMTV and images from WGBA / Holly Baker and Twitter / @malerypeat via WTMJ.