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Married dad murdered teen lover after she fell pregnant

A married father of three has finally been sentenced to life in prison for asphyxiating his teenage model lover after getting her pregnant over a decade ago.

A court in the Italian city of Catania sentenced Nicola Mancuso, 42, to life in prison after finding him guilty of killing Valentina Salamone, 19, in the nearby town of Adrano in July 2010.

Mancuso, who was married with three children at the time, had been having an affair with Ms Salamone and killed her by strangling her after she revealed she was pregnant with his child.

Nicola Mancuso (right) was jailed for life after being found guilty of the murder of Valentina Salamone (left). Source: Newsflash/Australscope
Nicola Mancuso (right) was jailed for life after being found guilty of the murder of Valentina Salamone (left). Source: Newsflash/Australscope

Her lifeless body was found outside a villa where she had gone on a weekend trip with a group of friends that included Mancuso.

Officers investigating the case first suspected suicide, a hypothesis that was rejected by the victim's relatives.

The investigation changed course when traces of blood belonging to Mancuso, who was aged 30 at the time of the crime, were found on the victim's shoes.

Investigators also found the circumstances of how they found Ms Salamone's body were inconsistent with suicide.

Mancuso has consistently denied killing Ms Salamone, who he met while she was working as a waitress at a bar, maintaining "Valentina wanted to end up like her grandfather" who had taken his own life.

The victim hailed from the nearby town of Biancavilla and also worked occasionally as a model.

The two began an extramarital affair, which ended after three months when Mancuso's wife found out.

Mancuso called off the affair with Ms Salamone who then revealed to him she was pregnant with his child.

He has now been sentenced to life in prison for strangling her and making it look like she had died by suicide.

The sentence was handed down on Monday (local time).

According to Dario Pastore, the lawyer representing the victim's family, there was another participant in the crime, whose identity is unknown, and he hopes the case will continue to be investigated.

– Australscope

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

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