Sicilian Mafia Legacy: Unveiling the Enduring Criminal Empire Hidden Beneath the Boss's Burial
Matteo Messina Denaro, the notorious Sicilian mafia boss, was discreetly laid to rest in a private ceremony in his hometown, Castelvetrano, Sicily However, as his criminal empire continues to thrive, the legacy of Italy's most infamous Mafia organization lives on
Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, widely believed to be the final godfather of his kind, was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Castelvetrano, Sicily on Wednesday. However, he will not be the last leader of Italy's renowned Mafia syndicate.
Denaro's notoriety stems from his violent history, having been convicted in absentia of 26 murders, resulting in 20 life sentences.
Messina Denaro's victims include Nicola Consales, the proprietor of a beach hotel in Sicily, whom the mobster was convicted of killing due to his interaction with a girl that had caught the criminal's attention. Moreover, Antonella Bonomo, the pregnant spouse of a rival gang leader, suffered a grim fate after crossing his path. Additionally, there was Giuseppe Di Matteo, a 12-year-old boy whose father had turned informant, who was cruelly abducted, tortured, and ultimately dissolved in acid after enduring 779 days of captivity. Lastly, Paolo Borsellino and Giovanni Falcone, brave anti-Mafia prosecutors, met their tragic ends as car bombs targeted them, with the two assassinations occurring just 57 days apart.
But when Messina Denaro - aka "Diabolik" - was laid to rest in the elaborate marble family mausoleum, the only names being mentioned were those of potential successors.
A police handout photo shows Matteo Messina Denaro after he was arrested in Palermo, Italy, on January 16, 2023.
Carabinieri/Handout/Reuters
Italy's anti-Mafia investigators have identified four or five potential candidates for the position. Leading the list is Giovanni Motisi, a 64-year-old Palermo boss known as "u pacchiuni" or the "fat guy." Motisi, a former hitman for the late "boss of bosses" Toto Riina, has been in hiding since 1998 following his conviction for multiple murders, including those of two police officers.
Another contender is Stefano Fidanzati, a 70-year-old drug kingpin, who former anti-Mafia prosecutor Pietro Grasso believes has a strong chance of securing the position. Lastly, there is Giuseppe Auteri, 49, commonly referred to as "Vassoio" or "tray." Auteri had been a trusted associate of Messina Denaro during the latter's time in hiding.
Matteo Messina Denaro's death marks the end of a life filled with violence, conspiracies, and enigmas," Grasso conveyed to CNN. "It also signifies the conclusion of an era for Cosa Nostra, although not for Cosa Nostra itself. Cosa Nostra undergoes changes, evolves, and transforms, yet it remains the primary impediment for a Sicily and an Italy liberated from the grip of violence, extortion, and destitution."
Prior to him, Salvatore "Toto" Riina presided over the most blood-drenched phase in the history of the Sicilian Mafia, selecting Messina Denaro to perpetrate some of the most heinous crimes, including the assassination of anti-Mafia prosecutors.
Denied public funeral
It was this path that brought Messina Denaro to the pinnacle of success in 2016. However, it was the disease that resulted in his apprehension at a private healthcare facility in Palermo in January 2023 and ultimately led to his demise.Like other mob bosses in Italy, Messina Denaro was not granted a public funeral. However, it was Messina Denaro himself who chose to distance himself from the church. In a coded note, he expressed his desire to reject "every religious celebration because it involves individuals tainted by hatred and sin." This information is documented in the belongings dossier compiled by Italy's anti-Mafia unit. Despite his criminal record, Messina Denaro vocally condemned the Catholic church for its involvement in the clerical sex abuse scandal.
"The note discovered in his hideout in Campobello di Mazara stated that it is not up to those who claim to be God's soldiers to determine and carry out my lifeless body," said the message. "God will be the one to judge me."
Following an autopsy that revealed his demise as a result of "natural causes" related to his battle with colon cancer, his casket was transported in an armored police van from Abruzzo, the region of his passing, to Calabria, where it was ferried across the strait. Upon arrival in Sicily, his body was transferred to a cedar coffin, seemingly requested in his final wishes, before being transferred into a hearse with wide windows.
Matteo Messina Denaro was arrested at a private health clinic in Palermo after 30 years on the run.
The hearse was discreetly escorted through the local backstreets to avoid attracting attention, however, spectators lined the streets towards the cemetery, capturing photos as though he were a famous personality.
The police implemented a restriction on access to the cemetery, allowing only immediate family members to enter. They took measures to block all entrances at 6 a.m. on Wednesday morning, despite the presence of flowers along the road. Within the family chapel, his body was interred, positioned next to his late father, the mobster Don Ciccio Messina Denaro.
The chapel had been previously bugged by the police when the younger Messina Denaro went into hiding, as it was believed to be a safe space for family and associates to discuss business. However, the family later found loose wires from the listening devices and reported the bug to the police, as stated in a police report.
The private burial ceremony extended for an hour, and throughout the entire day, the cemetery remained closed and under police guard.
