Raffaele Sollecito Has Been Detained By Police Near The Austrian Border

Less than 24 hours after being found guilty for Meredith Kercher's death, Raffaele Sollecito has been found in a hotel near the Austrian border.

Raffaele Sollecito has been detained by police near the Austrian border.

Giampiero Sposito / Reuters / Reuters

Sollecito was in the Dominican Republic at the beginning of the trial and returned to Italy for the verdict. There was a travel ban was placed on Sollecito by the court, although it did not order his arrest.

It was noted there was a “real and actual the danger that Sollecito could escape Italian justice," with fears he may escape back to the Dominican Republic.

The cabinet chief of the Udine police station, Giovanni Belmonte, has confirmed reports that police showed up at the hotel where Sollecito was staying with his girlfriend in Venzone, Italy, at 1 a.m., local time.

Venzone is approximately 25 miles away from the Austrian border. The Associated Press reported that Udine police "don't know his intentions" with regard to travel, they were tipped off as to where he was staying, and police "came immediately."

Police have apparently confiscated Sollecito's passport and have put a stamp on his citizenship papers stating that he cannot leave Italy, "as mandated by the appeals court in Florence."

Luca Maori, Sollecito's lawyer, has said he was in the area near Italy's border, as that's where his girlfriend lives. Maori also added that Sollecito voluntarily went to police.

Belmonte confirmed that Sollecito came with police calmly and willingly, and that his girlfriend followed the police to the station.

Giampiero Sposito / Reuters

According to Belmonte, Sollecito will be freed by police as soon as the proper paperwork has been completed.