Bay Area teen’s mom: ‘Heartbroken’ for Italian officer’s death

ROME (AP) – The mother of one of two American teens jailed in Rome in the fatal knifing of an Italian police office says she’s “heartbroken” at the officer’s death.

Private Italian TGCom24 on Wednesday ran an interview with the mother of Finnegan Lee Elder, who, along with friend Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth, is under investigation for the slaying of a Carabinieri paramilitary officer last Friday in Rome near their hotel.

TGCom24 interviewed Elder’s mother, identified as Leah Elder, at the entrance to the family’s San Francisco home. She said “we are just heartbroken at the loss of life.” Elder said she doesn’t know Natale-Hjorth well. She added that the teens’ travel plans “came together at the last minute.”

Her husband, Ethan, arrived Wednesday in Rome.