Senegalese migrant held after US artist Ashley Olsen died in 'erotic sex game'

Found dead: Ashley Olsen
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Kiran Randhawa14 January 2016

Police investigating the death of an American artist in Florence have arrested a Senegalese migrant on suspicion of murder.

Ashley Olsen, 35, was found naked on her bed in her apartment. A post-mortem examination found had suffered two fractures to her skull before being strangled with a wire or cord.

The suspect, Tidiane Cheik Diaw, 25, was said to be familiar to the victim and known to the police for drugs-related offences.

Prosecutors said he was detained the prime suspect following analysis of DNA found on a condom, a cigarette and under Miss Olsen’s fingernails.

It was reported that CCTV footage appeared to show him with Miss Olsen outside her flat early last Friday morning, the last time she was seen alive.

Detectives reportedly believe Miss Olsen took part in a “consensual, erotic sex game” before her death. According to the post-mortem report, she had sex before she died.

She was found by her boyfriend on Saturday after she failed to get in touch with him. Detectives pieced together her last hours and discovered she spent time at Montecarla, a bar and nightclub previously linked to drugs, in the early hours of Friday. After leaving alone at about 5.30am, she met a man, now alleged to be Diaw.

Investigators said following her death he had taken her mobile phone, put his own SIM card in it and used it.

Miss Olsen, from Florida, had been living in Italy for three years and moved there to join her father Walter, who teaches architecture, design and drawing at Bianca Cappello Art Academy in the city.

Earlier this week he said: “We are devastated that our precious Ashley has passed away resulting from a horrible and senseless crime. We are heartbroken she was taken from us.”

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