A wine entrepreneur has been arrested over a chilling plot to kill his wife in a staged car crash.
The couple’s Fiat 500 veered off the road, crashed into a tree and immediately burst into flames, according to driver Ciro Caliendo.
The charred body of his wife, 47-year-old Lucia Salcone, was found in the front passenger seat.
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Caliendo escaped with only minor burns to his hands, which he claimed came from trying to pull her from the flames.
The tragedy unfolded on 27 September 2024 on the SP13 road near San Severo, Italy.
Earlier today (23 Feb), Caliendo, 48, was arrested on suspicion of murder, as reported by Need To Know.
Investigators now believe Lucia was not the victim of a tragic accident, but of an orchestrated plot.
Caliendo had claimed another car, coming from the opposite direction, caused their vehicle to swerve off the road.
But crash analysis revealed the Fiat had been travelling at just 40km/h (25mph), far too slow to trigger airbags or create such a devastating fire.
Investigators also found the car had struck several concrete bollards before hitting the tree, suggesting a controlled manoeuvre rather than an accidental loss of control.
Traces of flammable liquid in the front passenger seat provided the most damning evidence, indicating someone deliberately set a fire.
A post-mortem conducted a year and a half ago had also revealed Lucia had a head injury.
Caliendo is president of the Antica Cantina winery in San Severo and was a candidate for the city council in last June’s elections.
Prosecutors say both passionate and financial motives may have driven him to commit the crime.
He is now in custody.
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