A decomposing body found in Birżebbuġa on July 14 was that of Carmelo Fino, the elderly man who walked out of St Vincent de Paul Home, almost 8km away, on June 28, the police confirmed on Thursday.

Confirmation of the identity of the corpse had taken time because decomposition made forensic DNA examination difficult, the police said. They confirmed that the death is not being treated as suspicious.

Four security officers, two carers and a nurse at the St Vincent de Paul Residence were suspended after an inquiry found they had allegedly failed to follow procedures and a gate was left unguarded when Fino, 83, walked out.  

Another carer, who was employed by a contractor and assigned to the care home, was replaced by another employee. 

Carmelo Fino seen on CCTV after he walked out of St Vincent de Paul Home.

Fino had already been wandering the streets for 15 hours before authorities began to search for him outside the care home, the inquiry by a retired judge had found.

Staff at the home only realised the man was missing five hours after he had left the hospital and then spent an entire morning looking for him inside the premises and in the home’s grounds because night shift officials had given false statements about when they had seen him last.

Times of Malta reported on Wednesday that the number of security officers guarding entrances and exits at the St Vincent de Paul home has since tripled.

Active Ageing Minister Jo Etienne Abela said almost 40 security officers had been added to the 20 who had already been working at the care home.