The Final Resting Place of Matteo Messina Denaro, a Notorious Mafia Boss
In Sicily, the tomb that now houses the remains of the infamous Mafia godfather Matteo Messina Denaro has been revealed. This ruthless gangster, who once boasted of having “filled a cemetery” with his victims, passed away at the age of 61 due to colon cancer.
Denaro spent more than three decades evading Italian law enforcement before being apprehended in January when he appeared for a medical appointment.
Throughout his criminal career, Denaro was alleged to have brutally murdered at least 50 individuals, including an eleven-year-old boy, following his father’s decision to become an informant.
For his funeral, authorities sealed off the cemetery in Castelvetrano, south of Palermo, and permitted only 13 family members to witness the placement of his coffin in the family’s vault.
The mausoleum, constructed from marble and adorned with stained glass, stands out as the most opulent structure in the cemetery.
It also serves as the final resting place for Denaro’s father, Francesco Messina Denaro, who passed away at the age of 78 in 1998 while on the run.
Associates of Francesco left his body, dressed impeccably in a suit, for the police to discover so that he could receive a proper burial.
MailOnline was granted access to the cemetery, becoming the first media outlet to enter after it was reopened. A single pink flower adorned the iron door, and a lit candle graced the steps.
Denaro had requested a non-religious ceremony, leaving a note for his family that asked for yellow long-stemmed roses to be placed on his wooden casket.
Despite the wish for a public service and procession through the town, local police chief Salvatore La Rosa rejected the proposal due to concerns about public order.
In one of his final secret notes, known as pizzini, Denaro outlined his funeral preferences and paid tribute to his father, expressing a deep connection between them.
As part of his funeral arrangements, Denaro, also known as ‘The Last Godfather,’ requested the removal of a marble angel from the mausoleum, citing concerns of potential eavesdropping devices being hidden within it by law enforcement.
In contrast to many neglected graves in the sun-drenched cemetery, Denaro’s tomb is meticulously maintained. Its opaque doors are hidden from view, making it an ideal location for discreet meetings.
Family members, including Denaro’s brother-in-law Vincenzo Panicola, attended the funeral. However, his sister, Patrizia, was unable to attend due to her incarceration, and his elderly mother, Lorenza, was not present, presumed to have watched the hearse’s arrival on television.
Denaro’s gruesome reputation earned him the nickname “The Devil” for his involvement in orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Giuseppe Di Matteo in 1993 after his father had become an informant. He was also accused of killing rival boss Vincenzo Milazzo and strangling Milazzo’s pregnant girlfriend.
Despite Catholic Church prohibitions against non-religious funerals for gangsters, Denaro specifically requested one. However, it was revealed that three nuns had wanted to offer prayers for him, believing that every soul deserved a chance at salvation, but police authorities denied this request. One of the nuns, Mother Donatella, expressed, “We know full well what he did, but he was still a child of God.”
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