“Lupara Bianca” a way to hide cadavers after Mafia homicides. A cemetery of Italian Mafia. A case study

doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2014.12.008

Legal Medicine

Volume 17, Issue 3, May 2015, Pages 192-197

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2014.12.008 Get rights and content

Highlights

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Mafia murders are always finalized to establish one’s potency or capacity to control the territory of action of their criminal activities.
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The “Lupara Bianca” seems to be a method primarily used in Mafia homicides with the main purpose to hide cadavers and attempting to throw the inquiry off the track for the longer time.
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A complete forensic investigation in these cases should include both radiological investigations and DNA profiling.

Abstract

The Gargano, also known as the ‘Spur of Italy’, is a sub-region of Italy which is located in North of Puglia, in the Province of Foggia. A ravine located in this area was used as a dumping ground in past. During a clearing operation, a team of speleologists discovered human skeletal remains, which led to an official investigation by the local prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor called a team of forensic specialist for a scene investigation to recover and identify the human skeletal remains. Four different human skeletal remains located at four different levels of depth underground were found and were in different conditions. A complete forensic investigation was initiated and comprised of radiological imaging with DNA profiling. Three of the four human skeletal remains that were found were identified as those belonging to men who vanished mysteriously in the nineties. The studies conducted have demonstrated that the victims found were murdered and the murders were attributed to the “Mafia of Gargano”. The Mafia of Gargano was officially recognized as a criminal organization dating back to 2009 and their criminal activities included the smuggling of firearms and cigarettes, human trafficking, and smuggling of undocumented immigrants. Murders in which corpses are made to disappear is common practice in criminal activities including that of the Italian Mafia. The “Lupara Bianca” is a colloquial term commonly used in Sicily to refer to concealed murders. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported study describing the discovery of one of the locations used extensively by the local Mafia as a “cemetery” for victims of “Lupara Bianca” homicides. Based on evidences collected at the site, an explanation of this homicidal modality will be provided.

Introduction

There are four Italian Mafias, namely “Cosa Nostra” (Our Thing or Our Affair) in Sicily, “Camorra” in Campania, “Sacra Corona Unita” (SCU, United Holy Crown) in Puglia and “Ndrangheta” in Calabria [1]. In the Apulian territory (a region of Italy) there are several subsidiary independent criminal groups that modeled their organization after the Mafias. Among these, the “Mafia of Gargano” (Gargano is located in the North of Puglia, also known as ‘The Spur of Italy’) started their criminal activities in the nineties with a series of violent murders committed between 1990 and 2002. This group was initially classified by the local attorney and authorities as a group of “familial thugs” of rural origin, but are now known as a large notorious organization [2]. The “Mafia of Gargano” was responsible for approximately 198 murders amongst which 12 were classified as “Lupara Bianca” (“white shotgun”) murders. “Lupara” is the Sicilian dialectal term for shotgun, “Bianca” (white) symbolizes the absence of blood because corpses and traces of murders are concealed.

A case of four of the twelve “Lupara Bianca” homicides committed by “Mafia of Gargano” will be discussed.

Section snippets

Case history

During a clearing operation of a ravine located in the Gargano area (30 m wide and 107 m deep), where old and wrecked cars were dumped, a team of speleologists discovered human skeletal remains. All clearing activities were interrupted and the prosecutor was alerted. A team of forensic specialist were summoned to the crime scene for recover and identification of human skeletal remain. The team went deep into the ravine where it became apparent that a column of more than twenty wrecked old

Bones study

All bones were cleansed from mud and classified according to anatomic topography. A detailed description of bone status was performed and osteological measurements taken.

Radiological study

Total body CR (Axiom Iconos, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) and MDCT (Aquilion 64, Toshiba Medical Systems, Tochigi, Japan) studies were performed. Slice thickness was 0.5 mm, with 0.75 mm collimation and a 512 matrix. Technical parameters used were 200 mA, 120 kV. The bones of all 4 human skeletal remains were anatomically

Victim 1

Genetic study confirmed the identity of human skeletal remains #1 as belonging to a 27 year old man who was reported missing since 2001. DNA panel of the bone was compared with the DNA panel of buccal swabs obtained from the mother and brother: kinship was obtained from first and second generations respectively. Radiological and anatomical studies showed multiple fractures to the cranium and extremities without radiological signs of healing processes.

Victim 2

Genetic study lead to identification of human

Discussion

Mafia murders are intended to portray a particu3]lar group’s power and ability to control a given territory. On the other hand other murders are intended as a means of eliminating individuals that may serve as obstacles to the organization [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. The majority of murders seem to be perpetrated with a clear symbolic intention. This is especially the case when the victims are mutilated to convey a sense of worthlessness [3], [4].

Our report supports the hypothesis that “Lupara

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Mohsin Roshan, BSc (Hons) and Amos Tambo, BSc (Hons) for technical assistance.

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Case Report“Lupara Bianca” a way to hide cadavers after Mafia homicides. A cemetery of Italian Mafia. A case study

Highlights

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Case history

Bones study

Radiological study

Victim 1

Victim 2

Discussion

Acknowledgments

La mafia innominabile

Death by homicide in Italy, 1980–94. Age and gender differences among victims

Med Sci Law

Reversible destiny: mafia, antimafia, and the struggle for Palermo

Manners of killing and rituals in Apulian mafia murders

J Forensic Sci

Typical homicide ritual of the Italian Mafia (incaprettamento)

Am J Forensic Med Pathol

A variant of incaprettamento (ritual ligature strangulation) in East Timor

Am J Forensic Med Pathol

Case Report
“Lupara Bianca” a way to hide cadavers after Mafia homicides. A cemetery of Italian Mafia. A case study