News May 10, 2021 Parents of American found guilty of murder in Italy speak out Ethan and Leah Elder say their son Finnegan, 21, has been deeply mischaracterized after being sentenced to life in prison for the fatal stabbing of an Italian police officer. Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, and a former Tam High classmate, Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 20, are charged in the murder of a Carabinieri paramilitary Mario Cerciello Rega, 35, was stabbed to death as he investigated a drug deal gone wrong in central Rome in 2019. Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 20, were sentenced to life in prison last week for the July 2019 death of Mario Cerciello Finnegan Lee Elder, now 21, and Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth, now 20, insist that they acted in self-defense in the death of Carabiniere Vice Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega. The parents of one of two Americans who were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the slaying of an Italian police officer have broken their silence for the first time since the verdict. After their son, Finnegan was sentenced to life, his mother hoped that he would survive the situation. Finnegan Elder's parents had their lawyer read a statement on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. An appeals court in Rome reduced the sentences of two Americans serving life for murdering an Italian cop after a botched drug deal. The fathers of US teenagers held over the fatal stabbing of an Italian cop insist their sons did NOT do it Ethan Elder, the father of Finnegan, 19, arrived to a Rome prison to visit his son Finnegan Elder and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth are facing murder charges for of killing an Italian undercover cop, in the aftermath of a drug deal gone south Undercover police officer Italian police say Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth, 18, and Finnegan Lee Elder, 19, were in Rome and stole a backpack from a man who Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, and a friend from San Francisco, Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 20, are charged in the murder of a Carabinieri paramilitary Ethan Elder (center) and his wife Leah Lynn Elder (left), the parents of Finnegan Lee Elder, react during the trial for the slaying of an Italian plainclothes police officer in Ethan Elder has told how he feared the worst for his son Finnegan after seeing the images of the alleged knife wielder Finnegan Elder being arrested in his hotel room ass well as the photograph of his travelling companion and co-accused Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, blindfolded and chained in a police station. During a brief court appearance earlier on May 5, Elders parents were in court as was Natale-Hjorths uncle. Finnegan Lee Elder, right, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, Gregorio Borgia / AP Finnegan Lee Elder listens as the verdict is read, in the trial for the slaying of an Italian plainclothes police officer in After the teens fled the scene of the incident, they went back to their hotel rooms, where Gabriel cleaned and hid the knife. Elder and his friend, 20-year-old Gabriel Natale Hjorth, both from the Bay Area, received Italy's harshest sentence for their crimes. ROME Two American students were found guilty Wednesday of killing an Italian police officer after a lengthy trial and were sentenced to life in prison. Finn Elders parents, Ethan Elder and Leah Elder, and family issued a statement about the arrest of their son. A detention order says Natale-Hjorth, who can understand Italian, confirmed that Rega identified himself as a Carabiniere officer. The pair had gotten in a scuffle with the police when trying to get drugs, and Finnegan had stabbed cop Rega 11 times, who died. The parents of Finnegan Elder, one of two Bay Area college students sentenced to life in prison in the killing of a police officer in Italy, discussed the guilty verdict in an ABC News exclusive interview. May 5, 2021, Ethan Elder, left, and his wife Leah Lynn Elder, parents of Finnegan Lee Elder, and the Elder family attorney Craig Peters, right, are in the courtroom for the trial. Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 20, were sentenced to life in prison last week for the July 2019 death of Mario Cerciello Rega, 35. Elder was sentenced to life in prison on May 5, 2021. The source said Finnegan Lee Elder, 19, I remember the kid he punched got put into a coma and then the parents were pressing charges. Regas widow, Rosa Maria Esilio, broke down in tears in court after hearing the verdict. May 5, 2021, Ethan Elder, left, and his wife Leah Lynn Elder, parents of Finnegan Lee Elder, and the Elder family attorney Craig Peters, right, are in the courtroom for the trial. Finnegan Lee Elder, left, crosses his fingers as he talks with his father Ethan Elder, before a jury began deliberating the fates of Elder and his co-defendant Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, on trial for the slaying of an Italian plainclothes police officer on a street near the hotel where they were staying while on vacation in Rome in summer 2019, in Rome, Wednesday, Prosecutors alleged that Finnegan Lee Elder, then 19, and Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth, then 18, attacked two members of Italy's storied Carabinieri paramilitary police force on a street corner in Rome in the early morning hours of July 26, 2019, after a botched drug deal. Italian authorities identified the two as Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth, 18, and Finnegan Lee Elder, 19, and said they were born in San Francisco. He was later sentenced Elders lawyer, Renato Borzone, called the Finnegan Lee Elder and his co-defendant Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, right, listen as the verdict is read, in the trial for the slaying of an Italian IE 11 is not supported. Elders parents traveled to Rome after an emotional Finnegan called them after the stabbing. ROME The lawyer for one of two American teenagers being held in the slaying of an Italian police officer said Saturday that he has dropped a request for his client to be released. Finnegan Lee Elder's lawyer, Renato Borzone, said in a statement that the defense still needs more time to get a full picture of what happened. Finnegan Elder, 19, and Mill Valley resident Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, RELATED: Only on 7: Parents of SF defendant in Italian police officer's death discuss strategy with I-Team ROME U.S. nationals Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 20, have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Finnegan Elder, 21, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 20, from California, got themselves into trouble after trying to buy cocaine during their vacation in the summer of 2019. Finnegan Lee Elder Parents. As parents, they are worried about him all the time. The boys were drinking, partying and doing drugs all Something is not right, by Ethan Elder. A jury in Italy convicted two American friends in the 2019 slaying in Rome of a police officer in a tragic unraveling of a small-time drug deal gone bad, sentencing them to the maximum life in prison. Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, and Gabriel Natale Hjorth, 20, are sentenced to live in prison for the slaying of an Italian police officer in 2019. May 5, 2021, Ethan Elder, left, and his wife Leah Lynn Elder, parents of Finnegan Lee Elder, and the Elder family attorney Craig Regas widow, Rosa Maria Esilio, broke down in tears in court after hearing the verdict. Prosecutors alleged that Finnegan Lee Elder, then 19, and Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth, then 18, attacked two members of Italy's storied Carabinieri paramilitary police force on a street corner in Rome in the early morning hours of July 26, 2019, after a botched drug deal. Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty ImagesRoyalist is The Daily Beasts newsletter for all things royal and Royal Family. During a brief court appearance earlier on May 5, Elders parents were in court as was Natale-Hjorths uncle. Seth Doane reports. Ethan Elder and Leah Lynn Elder, father and mother of Finnegan Lee Elder, arrested for the slaying of Carabinieri officer Mario Cerciello Rega, attend the opening of the trial in Two US citizens have been given life sentences by an Italian jury for murdering a Roman police officer in 2019 following a botched drug deal. Elder and his friend, 20-year-old Gabriel Natale Hjorth, both from the Bay Area, received Italy's harshest sentence for their crimes. Rome jury The jury of two judges and six civilians deliberated more than 12 hours before delivering the verdicts against Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, After last weeks tragic murder of an Italian military police officer in Rome, photos have surfaced of the suspect previously posing with a large knife on social media. As Elder was being walked out, his father, Ethan Elder, called out, Finnegan, I love you. Both of his parents looked stunned. Photo: AFP. Who are Finnegan Lee Elder and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth? After their son, Finnegan was sentenced to life, his mother hoped that he would survive the situation. Parents of student convicted of murder in Rome react to sentence. Finnegan Lee Elders parents are Leah Elder and Ethan Elder. More than 12 hours after deliberations began, the jury of two judges and six civilians delivered verdicts and sentences Wednesday night that set off a collective gasp in Who are Finnegan Lee Elder and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth? May 5, 2021, Ethan Elder, left, and his wife Leah Lynn Elder, parents of Finnegan Lee Elder, and the Elder family attorney Craig On 26th July 2019, Leah and Ethan Elder received a FaceTime call from their son Finnegan and two Italian police investigators. Finnegan Elder's parents had their lawyer read a statement on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. Parents speak out after son sentenced to life in prison for Hours later, they were arrested, and their parents had been called. Ethan Elder, center, father of Finnegan Lee Elder, arrives at Fiumicino Rome Airport Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Elder testified on March 1, "In the blink of an eye, they turned around and rushed us without saying a single word." Finnegan Lee Elder, 20, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 19, face life sentences for the July 2019 death of police officer Mario Cerciello Rega during a botched drug bust in Rome while they were on holiday. An appeals court in Rome reduced the sentences of two Americans serving life for murdering an Italian cop after a botched drug deal. Finnegan is a true full-service IP firm handling patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret law, with experts in every technology. Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, and Gabriel Natale Hjorth, 20, are sentenced to live in prison for the slaying of an Italian police officer in 2019. Some months ago Italics Magazine ran my article on the stabbing and killing by Finnegan Elder of a police officer. SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF / CNN) -- New details have emerged about Bay Area teen Finnegan Lee Elder, 19, who is accused of murdering an Photo: @fintrill/Instagram. Marin classmates Gabriel Natale and Finnegan Lee Elder were found guilty of the murder of an Italian police officer in Rome. The kid didnt come back I We just want Finn to be able to survive this, Finnegan Lee Elders mom, Leah Elder, told Good Morning America of her 21-year-old son getting Italys harshest possible sentence last Wednesday. He has a noted history of attempted suicide, and were really worried and really concerned, she said in the interview aired Monday. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. May 5, 2021, Ethan Elder, left, and his wife Leah Lynn Elder, parents of Finnegan Lee Elder, and the Elder family attorney Craig Peters, right, are in the courtroom for the trial. Marin classmates convicted of killing Italian police officer have life sentence cut. Cerciello Rega pinned Elder to Finnegan Lee Elder and Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth are being detained, and expected to be charged soon. We just want Finn to be able to survive this, Finnegan Lee Elders mom, Leah Elder, told Good Morning America of her 21-year-old American teenager Finnegan Lee Elder in an Italian police car in Rome, July 27, 2019. The trial of Finnegan Lee Elder, now 21, and co-defendant Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, now 20, who had rendezvoused in Rome during separate European summer vacations, is nearing its conclusion, 14 months after it began.