Mariano, found dead after the "pirate" party in Sant'Elia: the truth is just a step away.

Six and a half months have passed since that damned "pirate" party on the small beach of Diga, next to the Cuore parking lot of the former Sant'Elia stadium, and since that tragic night that cost the life of Mariano Olla, sixteen years old from Sestu, found dead in the sea a few meters from the shore, on June 14, 2025 in the early morning, by some fishermen.

The investigation by detectives from the Flying Squad, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office in close collaboration with the Juvenile Affairs Office, has continued unabated: an investigation opened for failure to provide assistance and then extended to death as a consequence of another crime, which may be close to a breakthrough.

The police were pursuing two lines of investigation: one to identify the organizers of an unauthorized party, and the other, perhaps more importantly, to determine who was dealing narcotics, particularly synthetic drugs.

Too many silences

From the very first moment, the Mobile Unit officers, led by Director Davide Carboni, were met with a wall of silence, or at most, "I don't remember." In the days following the tragic discovery of Mariano Olla's lifeless body, no one would have seen the young man walk away, perhaps become ill, and end up in the sea. All this while there were more than 150 children, many minors, on the beach. And yet, no one noticed his absence, even hours later. Thus, the sixteen-year-old's body was then gradually carried by the currents, toward the left shore, towards Sant'Elia.

Even the person who had accompanied him to Su Siccu by car on his way home at dawn didn't look for him. Despite the lack of cooperation, the Flying Squad investigators have reconstructed many details of the tragedy, and it's not out of the question that further developments could occur shortly, with several adults being added to the list of suspects.

Witnesses were interviewed, cell phone images and videos from that night were acquired, and movements and movements were analyzed. Eventually, the roles of several young adults emerged, who may have to answer for what they did during the illegal party.

Matthew Vercelli