Notorious Mafia Boss Matteo Messina Denaro Passes Away at Age 61 After 30 Years on the Run
Italian police have confirmed the death of Matteo Messina Denaro, a ruthless mafia boss who spent three decades evading capture. He was apprehended in January of this year but succumbed to colon cancer at the age of 61. Messina Denaro, also known as The Devil, was infamous for his involvement in numerous murders, including the dissolution of a young boy’s body in acid.
Messina Denaro’s criminal reign included orchestrating bombings in Rome, Florence, and Milan in 1993, leading to the deaths of 10 individuals and injuries to 93 others. He had also masterminded the kidnappings of anti-mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who were subsequently murdered. In a horrific act intended to discourage a witness from testifying against the mafia, Messina Denaro played a role in the abduction and subsequent murder of 12-year-old Giuseppe Di Matteo, who was strangled and his body dissolved in acid.
The mafia godfather was captured earlier this year after years on the run. However, his health quickly deteriorated, necessitating his transfer from a maximum-security prison to a hospital. L’Aquila Mayor Pierluigi Biondi confirmed his passing and expressed gratitude to the staff for their professionalism and care during his illness. Messina Denaro’s death marks the end of a chapter characterized by violence and bloodshed.
Despite his capture, Messina Denaro did not provide any information to the authorities before his demise. Reports indicate that he had undergone surgery for colon cancer in 2020 and 2022 under an assumed identity. The mobster’s health had significantly worsened leading up to his arrest.
Born into a mafia family, Messina Denaro followed in his father’s footsteps and entered the world of organized crime at a young age. He quickly rose through the ranks, earning the favor of Salvatore the Beast Riina, the undisputed leader of Cosa Nostra, or the Sicilian mafia. Messina Denaro’s brutality and involvement in heinous crimes earned him 20 life prison terms, with the mobster even boasting of having enough victims to fill a cemetery.
While investigators doubted whether Messina Denaro held the position of boss of bosses within the mafia, he undoubtedly wielded significant power and influence. It is believed that he rarely strayed far from Sicily during his years in hiding, relying on messengers and coded messages to communicate with fellow mobsters.
Matteo Messina Denaro’s death puts an end to a dark era in Italy’s recent history, characterized by his remorseless pursuit of power and violence. It remains to be seen what impact his demise will have on the criminal underworld he once commanded.
