Three police officers have been arrested in connection with the killing and apparent robbery of an Italian tourist off the Venezuelan Caribbean resort island of Margarita, prosecutors said Monday.

"Prosecutors will name three employees of the Nueva Esparta state police (where Margarita is located) as well as another man, apparently implicated in the homicide of Italian national Emiliano Astore," prosecutors said in a statement.

It noted that Astore's body was found with several gunshot wounds in his sailboat on August 27.

Astore, 36, was traveling alone when he tried to dock at Margarita, one of Venezuela's top tourist draws, on August 23. He allegedly did not have his documents in order and never docked.

Margarita thieves recently shot dead a Dutchman while trying to make off with a gold chain.