ROME – Police in Molfetta, a costal puglian town, have arrested the alleged killer of 19-year-old Antonia Lopez, according to police sources quoted by Il Fatto Quotidiano. Michele Lavopa, who was previously known to the police, is alleged to have fired “at least six gunshots” which killed Lopez in a night club on Saturday night. Police say Lavopa has admitted to being the “perpetrator” of what happened. He has claimed that he went to the nightclub “without any belligerent intentions”, in order to be with his girlfriend and a group of friends – he went carrying his 7.65 calibre pistol, he claims as a precaution given “what is happening in nightclubs in Bari.”

During the evening, allegedly a fight broke out with a rival group – the Palermiti group – which resulted in Lavopa pulling out his weapon and firing the lethal shots. Police have confirmed their belief that Lopez was a victim of a futile fight which boiled over. Lavopa then fled the crime scene in a car with two friends, on the way disposing of his firearm in the sea. Lavopa has been arrested and remains in prison for police questioning. 

This murderous plot has taken a new twist given the ominous silence of four men all injured, but not seriously, in the gun fire. Eugenio Palermiti, David Rana, Gianmarco Ceglie, and Francesco Cruele have all produced “clearly omitted statements, despite the fact that their friend had died”, according to police sources quoted in Il Fatto Quotidiano. Suspicions have been raised given connections between the men and the mafia. Palermiti is the descendant of the mafia family of the Japigia neighbourhood, an ally of the historic clan of the Bari mafia – the Parisi.  Cruele also has links to the mafia, being the grandson of a victim of a similar 2009 mafia ambush.

Police are urgently furthering their investigation to assess any further criminal links which could be attributed to the murder of Lopez. 

tjpw