Punished for horse theft

Two people may be guilty of attempted murder of a youth from Ussaramanna in Sardinia, who was thrown into a well as dramatic punishment for horse theft to be then saved by his father.A vendetta for theft of a ‘mistaken’ horse on the ‘mistaken’ people. This is the reconstruction of the Sanluri carabinieri of the attempted murder a year ago in Funtanedda of a young horse breeder from Ussaramanna, a town in Medio Campidano. Pauli Arbarei, another horse breeder, Angelo Onnis, 47, regarded by the investigators as a local Mafioso in the sector and his Romanian stableman, Valentin Nistor, 24, are accused of tying and throwing Luciano Picchedda, then 19, into a well. Following four months of investigation coordinated by Cagliari’s substitute prosecutor Rita Cariello, the Romanian was upended April 13 at Cagliari’s Elams airport while attempting to flee the country and two days later the order to put Onnis in custody was carried out. The happening dates back to April 19, 2008 when the Picchedda family allegedly stole Onnis’ horse, who in order to have it back allegedly first threatened the presumed thieves, then stole the bells of the family’s herds to eventually teach the youngest member of the family a proper lesson. The teenager was verbally threatened with death before being thrown in the well, to be recovered by his father two hours later after straining to keep his head above the icy waters. The victim did not report the incident immediately but only after he was distanced by his family which prompted the intervention of the local social services. The youth then explained the entire situation, naming the presumed aggressors, who have declared themselves unaware of any such incident.