American woman slain in Florence apartment

Italian police say a 35-year-old American woman has been found slain in her apartment in Florence.

A police spokeswoman in Florence, Maddalena Carosi, said the victim's neck was bruised and scratched. But police wouldn't comment on Italian news reports that the woman had been strangled until an autopsy was performed.

Carosi said the murdered woman has been identified as Ashley Olsen.

Police also declined to comment on reports that Olsen's boyfriend, an Italian living in Florence, became worried when he didn't hear from her in a few days and asked the flat's owner to open the door, leading to the discovery of the body Saturday.

RAI state TV said the woman's father teaches at a Florence art school. It wasn't immediately clear where in the US the family came from.