Father suspected of hiring hitmen to kill preacher who raped his daughters

Italian police are investigating the death of a paedophile pastor and they suspect that the father of his victims is behind the murder.

According to The Mirror, Guiseppe Matarazzo was gunned down a month after he was released from prison. He spent 11 years and six months behind bars for sexually abusing two young sisters.

One of his victims, a 15-year-old, later committed suicide by hanging herself from a tree.

Matarazzo was found dead, with five bullet wounds, in Frasso Telesino in July 2018.

On Wednesday, The Sun reported that Italian authorities were now investigating three men in connection with the preacher's death.

Police allege that the father of the victims hired Genoroso Nastam and Guiseppe Massaro to eliminate the ex-convict.

Clues from a car that was abandoned at the crime scene led to the arrest of the two men alleged to have been hired for the hit.

A 3.56-magnum pistol was also found at the scene.

According to the Daily Mail, chief prosecutor Aldo Policastro told Italian media that police have reason to believe that the vehicle was driven by the two suspected hitmen, and the gun possibly used to murder the pastor.

Policastro said the mastermind behind Matarazzo's killing was a family member.

"Those who commissioned the murder are to be found in the family milieu."

The investigation continues.