Ashley Olsen, a 35-year-old
American artist found dead in her central Florentine flat at the
weekend, was strangled with a cord or rope, an autopsy found
Tuesday.
There were no signs of a struggle on Olsen's body, coroners
said.
Tests have been ordered to see if Olsen had sex, consensual
or forced, before her death and to see if there were any drugs
in her body, coroners said.
Olsen was found dead Saturday with bruises and scratches to
her neck.
Police said she apparently opened the door to her murderer.
Olsen's 42-year-old Florentine boyfriend, painter Federico
Fiorentini, and several other friends have been questioned.
Police have said Fiorentini appears to have a solid alibi
for the night of the murder.
Investigators are focusing on meetings the woman had on the
night between Thursday and Friday at the Montecarla club in Via
de' Bardi, the last place where she was seen alive.
In September the woman wrote "I have a stalker" on her
Instagram account, although the post appears to have been a
joke.
The comment was posted with a photo of Olsen while she was
walking in the San Frediano quarter of Florence with her beloved
beagle, Scout.
The photo was taken from above and catches her from behind
and the joke comment may have been directed at the person who
took the image.
Olsen, originally from Florida, was living in Florence
where her father, an architect, works at an art school.
The Tuscan city's expat community has expressed fears the
the investigation will turn into a saga like the 2007 murder of
British exchange student Meredith Kercher.
American Amanda Knox, Kercher's former flat mate, and her
Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were cleared of the
murder by Italy's supreme court last year on appeal after twice
being convicted.
An Ivorian man, Rudy Guede, is serving a 16-year sentence
for the murder.
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