ROME — A second autopsy on an Italian found slain in Egypt reveals that the doctoral student suffered ‘‘inhuman, animal-like’’ violence, Italy’s interior minister said Sunday as he pressed Egypt’s president to fully cooperate with the criminal investigation.

Rome prosecutors have opened a murder investigation into the death of Giulio Regeni, whose battered corpse was found outside Cairo nine days after he was reported missing in the Egyptian capital.

Italy’s ambassador, who viewed the body a few hours after Egyptian authorities told Italy about its discovery on Feb. 3, had already said the victim showed signs of a brutal beating and torture.

A second autopsy, following one done in Egypt by authorities there, was performed late Saturday in Rome, and it concluded that Regeni died after a cervical vertebra was broken, said Alessandra Ballerini, a human rights lawyer appointed by the man’s family.

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Sky TV he still hasn’t gotten his breath back after learning the shocking results of the latest autopsy.

News reports in Italy have said Italian authorities strongly suspect Egyptian security forces interrogated Regeni to learn about the contacts he made as part of his research with the labor world, then tortured and killed him. Egypt’s foreign minister has vehemently denied those claims.

Associated Press