These are the last images of rugby league player Ricky Bibey and his girlfriend hours before he died ‘in a sex game gone wrong’ – as they walk to their hotel at 4am with a mysterious couple.
MailOnline found the CCTV footage from cameras near the four-star hotel where father of two Bibey, 40, was found dead early Saturday morning.
His 44-year-old partner – whom we do not identify – raised the alarm after he ran from their second-floor room half-naked, covered in blood and screaming for help.
The exclusive video was taken just after 4:10 a.m. and shows the woman — a posh Manchester estate agent — walking down a side street near the Hotel Continentale in Florence, Italy, where they were staying.
The woman, dressed in a sleeveless long dress and sandals, appears first in the footage, followed a second later by Mr. Bibey and a mysterious couple who have not been identified.
CCTV images were obtained from cameras near the four-star hotel where father of two Bibey, 40, was found dead early Saturday morning. An unidentified man wearing a blue T-shirt stands in the back next to Mr. Bibey in white shorts and sneakers
The footage shows the woman – an upmarket real estate agent from Manchester – walking down a side street near the Hotel Continentale in Florence, Italy, where they were staying. Mr. Bibey wears a light top and shorts, center, while the unidentified woman wears a red dress with him
Ricky Bibey, of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, was found dead in his hotel in Florence. His 44-year-old partner sounded the alarm after he ran from their first-floor room half-naked, covered in blood and screaming for help
Emergency vehicles gathered outside Florence hotel after tragic death
The woman appears to be somewhat unsteady on her feet and reaches into her handbag before hitting the shot as Mr. Bibey and the other couple follow after her.
Mr. Bibey wears a light top and shorts, while the unknown woman with him wears a red dress and appears to point to something in front of them while talking.
The unknown man is wearing a blue T-shirt, white shorts and sneakers and both he and the woman appear much younger than Mr. Bibey and the woman.
Less than three hours after the footage was taken, paramedics are on the scene after being called by the woman, but the former sports star was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy confirmed the rugby league player died of a heart attack and police were convinced it was caused by a deadly combination of drugs and alcohol
An autopsy performed later confirmed he died of a heart attack, with police convinced it was caused by a deadly combination of drugs and alcohol.
The couple had only checked into the four-star Continentale hotel the day before, after landing at Pisa airport and then heading for the night.
MailOnline knows the identity of the woman – a posh Manchester estate agent who has appeared on TV – and she is still recovering in hospital after serious injuries requiring several surgeries.
Investigators believe she may have been forced into some form of erotic play and then tried to fend off Mr. Bibey, as the autopsy revealed wounds to his wrists and neck.
They have yet to formally and extensively question the woman as she is still recovering from a series of surgeries.
A judicial source told MailOnline: ‘The autopsy has confirmed that the man died of cardiac arrest, but we are still awaiting full toxicology results to see what was in his system.
“We believe he used drugs and alcohol in large amounts and this led to his death, there were no signs of a violent death. There are scratches on his hands, wrists and forearms and these appear to be defensive.
“The theory we’re working on is that they were caused by the woman after she may have been forced into some form of erotic play that she didn’t want to do.
“We only spoke to her briefly and informally and she said she didn’t like violent sex or erotic games.”
Police and prosecutor Ester Nocera hope to formally question the woman on Thursday or Friday with the help of a translator, and members of her family have also arrived in Italy.
The four-star continental hotel in Florence, Italy, where a sex game went tragically wrong for the couple is pictured
Room 102 of the hotel room is pictured. The couple had only checked into the hotel the day before, after landing at the nearby Pisa airport, and then headed out for the night
Forensic teams examine the couple’s cell phones and items seized from the hotel room on the first floor and search for CCTV footage.
Tests at the Careggi hospital where the woman is being treated and before surgery showed that the woman also had drugs in her body.
A “manslaughter of unknown persons” file has been opened by the prosecutor, but no third party is being hunted and officials explained it was a mere formality as the death was still unexplained until toxicology results came back.
A judicial source added: ‘There are different parts of the investigation, of course we want to know what happened in the hotel room, but because we think drugs were involved as well. Where did they get it?
‘Did they get them from England or did they buy them locally? So we go back to the events of that night and speak with witnesses at the hotel and elsewhere in the city.
“Hotel staff said they returned around 4am on Saturday and were in good spirits and just under three hours later emergency services were called and the man was found dead.”
Born in Leigh near Wigan, Greater Manchester, Ricky made his professional rugby debut in 2001 for Wigan Warriors and also played for Leigh Centurions, St Helens and Wakefield Trinity.
He won the Challenge Cup twice and also played three times for England in international competitions, before being forced to retire in May 2012 due to an Achilles tendon injury.
The prop Ricky, who lived in an £800,000 house in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, had run a window-cleaning business and a property business since his retirement.
Hotel Continentale is located just 30 meters from the famous Ponte Vecchio, close to the heart of the historic city that is popular with British holidaymakers, with former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prince Charles as previous visitors.
Travel guides describe the plush riverside inn as “playful chic” with its own rooftop bar and spa geared toward “honeymooners and those looking for a romantic weekend.”