Italian sports journalist Luigi 'Luca' Esposito found burned in Salerno field, autopsy set to determine cause of death

The grim discovery

Luigi 'Luca' Esposito, a 53-year-old sports journalist and director of the website Tuttosalernitana, was found dead in a field near the SS 7 bis road in a peripheral area of Eboli, in the province of Salerno. His body was carbonized. The discovery was made on Sunday, and the death is believed to have occurred during the night between Saturday and Sunday. The Salerno Public Prosecutor's Office, led by Raffaele Cantone, is treating the case as a homicide. A shell casing and remains of a black bag were reportedly found near the body, though investigators have not officially confirmed the casing. The area is isolated, dark at night, and lacks video surveillance, complicating the investigation.

The autopsy and cause of death

An autopsy is scheduled for today, July 21, at 2:30 PM, to be performed by medical examiner Gabriele Casaburi at the Eboli morgue. The examination aims to determine the exact cause and time of death. The body showed numerous fractures, including to the head. Investigators initially considered a gunshot wound due to the head injury and the reported shell casing, but the injury may have been caused by something else. The autopsy will clarify whether the victim was shot, beaten, or died from the fire, and whether the fire was set post-mortem. The prosecutor's office currently describes the body as "plausibly" that of Esposito, pending formal identification.

I never heard him scared or worried in this last period. He was serene as always.

The victim's double life

Esposito was a well-known figure in Campania's football circles, covering Salernitana, Avellino, and Juve Stabia for OttoChannel and the newspaper 'La Città di Salerno'. Colleagues described him as a valuable, outspoken, and popular commentator. Pierluigi Melillo, director of OttoChannel, noted that Esposito was on first-name terms with many players and coaches and was set to be a lead pundit for the upcoming season. However, investigators are examining a parallel narrative: Esposito told friends and colleagues that he worked for ARPAC, the Campania regional environmental protection agency, conducting inspections at agricultural and buffalo farms. ARPAC issued a statement denying any current or recent employment. His sister told Tg1 that he had worked there "years ago, at the beginning," but had not been involved since. On his Facebook profile, he also claimed to work as an official for the Campania Region, a claim that sources consulted by La Repubblica have so far been unable to verify.

We discovered his name was Luigi by chance, only after he'd been collaborating with us for a while, when he sent us his ID to get accredited for a match.

Investigative leads

Carabinieri from the Eboli company are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry. The victim's car was found locked nearby with the keys in his pocket, suggesting he exited the vehicle voluntarily, possibly to meet someone or because he arrived with his killer. Investigators are currently excluding a direct link to his work as a football commentator, focusing instead on personal or private motives. The false or exaggerated employment claims are being treated as a "neutral" data point for now, though they could point to a double life that played a role in the murder. Economic or passionate motives are also being considered. Authorities are analyzing the victim's phone records and gathering footage from cameras along the access road to trace his final movements.

Luca was a precious collaborator as a pundit, certainly uncomfortable but never banal, and above all always courageous in defending his opinions on the world of football.

What comes next

The autopsy results are expected to provide the first concrete answers, establishing whether Esposito died from a gunshot, blunt force trauma, or the fire. This will shape the direction of the murder investigation. Carabinieri continue to search for witnesses and any digital evidence that could reveal who Esposito was with in his final hours. A friend, Mary Esposito, reported that a colleague from a local newspaper spoke to him shortly after 9 PM on the night he disappeared, and he said he would call back, raising questions about what happened immediately afterward.