The investigation into the violent death of a pedophile priest in Italy found that he was shot dead by hitmen hired by the father of one of his teenage victims.

Giuseppe Matarazzo, a 45-year-old priest, was killed in Frasso Telesino, on the outskirts of Naples, one month after being released from prison where he served an 11-year sentence for abusing two teenage girls.

The sexual abuse attracted wide community and media attention because one of the victims later hanged herself from a tree aged 15 in 2008.

Now the father of the girl is being investigated by the Italian authorities on suspicion of commissioning hitmen to carry out the alleged murder.

Two men, 30-year-old Generoso Nastam and Giuseppe Massaro, 55, were arrested last Friday.

Italian authorities believe the men drove an SUV near his home, in which one of them asked Matarazzo to approach the car with the excuse of asking for directions.

Matarazzo was then blasted in the face with a .357 magnum. His body was reportedly found with five gunshot wounds in July.

Investigators had already found the murder weapon and have now recovered the vehicle.

Chief prosecutor Aldo Policastro has confirmed that it was a “hired crime”.

The two accused, from S. Agata dei Goti (Benevento) and the other from San Felice a Cancello (Caserta), were detained last Friday.