Leoluca Bagarella

Leoluca Bagarella (Italian pronunciation: [ˌlɛoˈluːka baɡaˈrɛlla]; born 3 February 1942) is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. He is from the town of Corleone. Following his brother-in-law Salvatore Riina's arrest in early 1993, Bagarella became the head of the strategist strategy faction, opposing another faction commanded by the successor designate Bernardo Provenzano, creating a real rift in Cosa Nostra. Bagarella was arrested in 1995, having been a fugitive for four years, and sentenced to life imprisonment for Mafia association and multiple murders.

Early life

Bagarella was born in Corleone on 3 February 1942. Bagarella sided with Luciano Leggio of the Corleonesi in the late 1950s. Bagarella became the brother-in-law of Salvatore Riina in 1974 when Riina married Bagarella's sister, Antonia. Two of Bagarella's brothers were also Mafiosi; his elder brother, Calogero Bagarella, was shot dead on December 10, 1969, in the Viale Lazio in Palermo, during a shootout with rival mafioso Michele Cavataio and his men, is what is known as the Viale Lazio massacre. A second brother, Giuseppe, was murdered in prison in 1972.

On 21 July 1979, Bagarella killed police chief Boris Giuliano. Giuliano was shot dead in the Lux Bar in Palermo having a cappuccino while waiting for his car to take him to work early in the morning. Bagarella shot Giuliano in the neck three times and, standing over the body, fired four bullets into Giuliano's back before making his escape.

Giuliano's flying squad was investigating Bagarella after he had discovered his hiding place. Bagarella had managed to escape in time, but Giuliano's weapons, four kilograms of heroin and false documents with photographs depicting Bagarella were discovered.