Murder victim left letter indicating suspect

Nicola Romano, the father of Gaetano, who was found dead in an industrial furnace, has revealed that his son had left him a letter in which he told him that if something happened to him, he did not need to look far for the culprit.

"They took away my son and they took away my life," Nicola Romano said.

Mr Romano said his son was everything to him. "When his mother died, I was his father, mother, friend, cousin - everything."

When his mother died, Gaetano asked his father if he would go to live in a children's home. "I would die before that happened," Mr Romano told him.

His son had told his father that he would die young. "I will die before you - I only want to have fun as I will die before you," Mr Romano said, quoting his son.

Gaetano Romano, a 20-year-old Sicilian, was found dead in the furnace by Nicola himself three months ago. Nails had been hammered into his head.

Mr Romano said he was now certain who had killed his son. Police investigations have so far been inconclusive.

The family dog was killed eight months ago and was found rolled up in a carpet in a nearby field. A neighbour had told The Times that the family had even received photos of the dead dog. The police have been trying to find out if there is any connection between this incident and the murder.

Gaetano Romano’s Maltese mother died of cancer aged 45, when he was preparing for his confirmation.

Video comments are in Italian. Footage also shows the workshop and the industrial furnace where Gaetano Romano was found.