Man beheads his brother, then throws his head off a balcony in front of shocked neighbors

An Italian man has handed himself in to police after decapitating his brother and throwing his head over a balcony following a heated argument.

The man, known locally as 59-year-old Benito, got into a violent argument with his brother, 65-year-old Annibale, last night at their home in Pannarano, a small town about 40 kilometres outside Naples.

Although it is still unclear what the fight was about, it was so loud that the neighbors could hear it. It got so bad that Benito grabbed a knife and brutally attacked his brother.

Benito, whose last name is currently unknown, reportedly turned himself in to police. When police arrived at the family’s home, they found Annibale’s decapitated body covered in stab wounds.

According to the Italian media, the brothers had not been living happily together since Annibale returned from Rome. He had recently retired and lost his wife.

Benito turned himself in to a police station after the brutal murder of his brother (File image)

Neighbors said there had been loud arguments, but they were so frequent that they didn’t notice last night’s argument until they saw Annibale’s head lying in the street.

Italy’s national police, the Carabinieri, are investigating the horrific crime and have spoken to friends and acquaintances of the brothers in an attempt to determine a motive for the murder.

After speaking with Benito during the night, they took him to a prison in Benevento, which is about 14 kilometers northeast of Pannarano.

The Benevento Public Prosecutor’s Office has now opened a formal investigation.

A coroner is scheduled to perform an autopsy on the victim’s body, which is currently in the nearby morgue San Pio Hospital in Benevento.