Austrian kidnap victim found dead in Venezuela
A young Austrian has become the victim of a ruthless kidnapping gang in Venezuela.Amadeus Michael Novak-Ferrari from Graz, Styria, had been missing since 13 April. Now police have found his decaying corpse near Santa Lucia.Novak-Ferrari was working at his grandfathers glass fibre factory and planned to return to Austria to do his six-month mandatory military service as he recently finished his traineeship.Now the whole family of the 19-year-old want to come back to Austria over soaring crime in the South American country.The teenagers father Johann Novak told the Kleine Zeitung newspaper yesterday (Thurs): “Violence is a dominating part of daily life in Venezuela. I worked as a fisherman for some years in Porto Santo until my boat was stolen.”Looking at a photograph showing the dead body of his son covered with carton sheets, the 55-year-old Graz-based man said: “I recognise him. Thats my son. He wears the sandals I bought him when he came for a visit last year. And now hes dead.”Amadeus Michael Novak-Ferraris mother said she got a call the day after her son disappeared last month.”The kidnappers wanted 700,000 Euros. My wish to speak to my son was denied,” Christina Elisabeth Ferrari said.His father said: “Maybe he was already dead at that time. He might have witnessed a crime and they had to get him out of the way because of that.”Amadeus Michael Novak-Ferraris car was found the next day, before police officers discovered his corpse last Wednesday.Investigations into the case continue, but it has been claimed a gang which also included a policeman was behind the crime.