Matteo Messina Denaro, the infamous Italian Mafia boss who spent over three decades on the run, has reportedly passed away, marking the end of an era in the criminal underworld. Media reports indicate that the 61-year-old died in L’Aquila Hospital in central Italy after falling into an irreversible coma during the weekend.*
The news of Messina Denaro’s demise was first reported by the ANSA news agency on Monday, confirming the long-anticipated end to the life of a man who had eluded capture for an astonishing 30 years. His death comes as he was receiving treatment for colon cancer, a condition that had been disclosed at the time of his arrest earlier this year.
Matteo Messina Denaro had initially been incarcerated in a maximum-security prison following his capture, but as his health deteriorated, he was transferred to L’Aquila Hospital for medical care in recent weeks. It has been revealed that the former Cosa Nostra Sicilian mob boss had explicitly requested not to receive aggressive medical treatment during his illness.
According to ANSA, once Messina Denaro fell into an irreversible coma, medical professionals ceased providing sustenance, respecting his wishes. This marked the end of a long and controversial chapter in Italian organised crime.
Messina Denaro’s criminal journey began early in life, as the son of a mafioso, born in the southwestern Sicilian town of Castelvetrano in 1962. He followed in his father’s footsteps, joining the ranks of the mob at a tender age. By the time he was 15, he was already carrying a firearm, and by 18, he had committed his first murder, according to police records.
The Castelvetrano clan, to which Messina Denaro belonged, was aligned with the notorious Corleonesi, led by Salvatore “the Beast” Riina, who went on to become the uncontested “boss of bosses” of Cosa Nostra through a ruthless pursuit of power. Under Riina’s mentorship, Messina Denaro, nicknamed “U Siccu” or the Skinny One, displayed a merciless streak that earned him 20 life prison sentences in trials held in absentia for his involvement in numerous mob killings.
Among the most infamous crimes attributed to Messina Denaro were the 1992 assassinations of anti-mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, events that shook Italy and triggered a severe crackdown on the Sicilian Mafia. He was also held responsible for the bombings in Rome, Florence, and Milan in 1993, which claimed the lives of 10 people.
One of the most chilling acts associated with Messina Denaro was the kidnapping of 12-year-old Giuseppe Di Matteo, aimed at dissuading the boy’s father from cooperating with authorities. The young boy was held captive for two harrowing years before being brutally murdered.
The Italian press often referred to Messina Denaro as “the last Godfather,” and he once claimed to have taken enough lives to fill a cemetery. His life in hiding began in 1993 as more and more informants started revealing details about his role within the Mafia. Investigators believed he rarely strayed far from Sicily.
Messina Denaro’s capture occurred in the Sicilian capital of Palermo on January 16, as he was spotted outside a private clinic for cancer patients. Police had received a tip regarding his health condition, which eventually led to his arrest. By cross-referencing the national health system’s database, authorities narrowed down their search to Messina Denaro among other individuals with similar age and medical conditions.
Medical records leaked to the Italian media indicated that he had undergone surgeries for colon cancer in 2020 and 2022 under a false identity.
Despite his notoriety, prosecutors had long questioned whether Messina Denaro truly held the title of the Mafia’s “boss of bosses,” suggesting that he may have been more accurately described as the head of Cosa Nostra in western Sicily. His death closes the chapter on a criminal legacy that has left a profound mark on Italy’s history of organised crime.
