"Many Photos" - Italian police officer stabbed to death in Rome 'by two American teens' is laid to rest

The Italian police officer who was stabbed to death in Rome, allegedly by two Americans, has been laid to rest in Italy. 

The remains of Mario Cerciello Rega were placed in a casket draped with the Italian flag as his funeral was held in a church in Somma Vesuviana, outside Naples, where he was married just six weeks ago.

Rosa Maria, Rega's widow, rested her head against the coffin as it was carried into the church in front of hundreds of mourners.

Mario Cerciello Rega, the Italian police officer stabbed to death in Rome - allegedly by two Americans - was laid to rest in Somma Vesuviana, outside Naples, on Monday

Widow Rosa Maria rested her head on his coffin as it was carried inside the same church where the pair were married just six weeks ago

Rega's brother and mother (center) accompanied the coffin as it was carried into the church, watched by hundreds of mourners

Photos of Cerciello Rega wearing his uniform at his wedding and showing off his wedding band as he sat next to his beaming bride dominated the front pages of many Italian newspapers 

Rega was popular for warmly greeting residents of the neighborhood in historic Rome. 

He spent off-duty hours as a volunteer dishing out hot meals to the homeless in Rome's main station and accompanied ailing faithful to religious shrines, including in Lourdes, France.

Matteo Salvini, Italy's deputy leader, was pictured among the mourners alongside Rome's mayor Virginia Raggi and Mayor of Somma Vesuviana, Salvatore di Sarno. 

Rega was fatally stabbed 11 times on Friday in what is believed to be a drug deal gone wrong.

Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth, 18, and Finnegan Lee Elder, 19, both from California, are accused of carrying out the attack.

Salvini, who is also Italy's interior minister, has called for them to be jailed for life if they are found guilty. 

Italy's military chaplain, Archbishop Santo Marciano, in his eulogy, said Cerciello Rega, 35, lived and died to safeguard others' lives. 

Police are investigating both Hjorth's illegal blindfolding before his interrogation after Friday's slaying and who leaked the photo of him blindfolded.

Matteo Salvini, Italy's deputy leader, was among those attending the service. He has called for the two suspects to be jail for life, if they are found guilty

Rome's mayor Virginia Raggi (left) and Mayor of Somma Vesuviana Salvatore di Sarno (right) were also among dignitaries attending the service

Rega's fellow Carabinieri officers stand in front of crowds of mourners as his funeral takes place near Naples

Hjorth, who classmates described as 'a drug dealer', and Elder, who was described as 'sketchy', are accused of stabbing the officer to death when he arrived to investigate what is thought to have been a drug deal gone wrong. 

The stabbing unfolded when Hjorth and Rega tried to buy cocaine from a man outside the hotel where they were staying, but were sold a crushed-up bag of aspirin instead, Italian media reported.  

The pair then allegedly stole a bag belonging to the suspected drug dealer and demanded 100 euros and a gram of cocaine for him to get it back.

The man agreed and told the pair he would meet them to exchange the bag, but a call released by police shows he actually contacted the carabiniere to report that his bag had been stolen. 

Rega and his partner, wearing plainclothes, were then dispatched to the agreed meeting spot where they confronted the two Americans and identified themselves in Italian as police.

It is not clear whether the two officers knew about the dispute over the cocaine. 

It is thought that Elder failed to realize who Rega was because he doesn't speak Italian before launching the fatal attack.

Hjorth is accused of punching Rega's partner repeatedly while the stabbing was happening.

The two Americans were then caught on CCTV fleeing the scene of the crime, before being traced to a nearby hotel where they were arrested.  

While searching their hotel room, police said investigators found a long knife hidden inside the room's dropped ceiling. Also found were clothes worn during the attack, police said.

Officers said Elder was identified as the stabber after saying that he recognized the murder weapon and that it belonged to him.

The Carabinieri statement said the Americans during their interrogation and confronted with 'hard evidence,' had 'confessed to their blame'.

Both suspects could face murder charges and are also being investigated for attempted extortion. 

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News Photo Italian police officer stabbed to death in Rome 'by two American teens' is laid to rest
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