His name, Toto Riina, enters history for his grip and cruelty. He is nicknamed “The Beast”. From a petty criminal in the 1960s, he later played a major role in the Mafia wars from 1981 to 1983. More than a thousand deaths were recorded in Sicily. His childhood was marked by a dramatic event. During the year he turned 13, an American bomb from the Second World War exploded as he was attempting to defuse it. His father and his 7-year-old brother died in the explosion. His brother Gaetano and he were the only survivors.
At the age of 18, he was appointed an official member of Cosa Nostra by Luciano Liggio. His brutality set him apart from all other mobsters; he didn’t hesitate to kill one of his friends in a barehanded fight. This incident sent him to 12 years of incarceration at just 19 years old. Riina wanted to be omnipotent, to control the institutions, the culture, the society. His strategy to achieve his goals was to kill
“We must make war to obtain peace.”
For him, confronting the government using bombs would be beneficial for Cosa Nostra and all the other mafias in the country. His former driver Gaspare Mutolo was well aware of his murderous madness:
“He was the kindest man in the world, he was nice to me and everyone. He was not vulgar, but when he got angry he turned all red. It was at that moment we knew he became dangerous.”
Mutolo and Riina shared the same cell. By protecting the boss of the Sicilian Mafia in the yard of the Ucciardone prison (Palermo), the repentant gained all the support he needed. One of the Riina couple’s four children, Maria Concetta, dreamed of starting a career as a painter in the United States. Unfortunately for her, being the child of a godfather in the organization was a real hindrance. The money did not interest the godfather of Cosa Nostra. The Mafia was not cruel, however, he changed that. With him in command, it transformed. He managed to persuade people to kill their own brothers, sisters, and other family members. In exchange, a place within the organization was promised. Toto Riina was particularly attached to loyalty, which is why he conducted ever more cruel tests.
Crime scenes resembled terrorist attacks. Larger calibers and bombs were used. There was no mercy in the open war with the government. All anti-mafia symbols were persecuted in every action. The little hope that the inhabitants of Palermo had went up in smoke. The Godfather used to say: “Do it whatever it takes, whether women or children are involved.” Cosa Nostra even kidnapped the son of Santino Di Matteo because he had turned and become an informer. The aim was to silence Santino in the face of the federals.
The 11-year-old was strangled and then burned in acid to “compensate” for his father’s betrayal of Cosa Nostra. On one hand, the Mafia sent a strong message to everyone in the organization, but on the other hand, it tainted its own image. One cannot claim to be men of honor when attacking women and children. Moreover, the act of burning the child’s body prevented any family gathering or mourning.
With his new status as a terrorist, Toto Riina became the number one target for Palermo’s police and the country’s authorities. They hunted a ghost who was extremely difficult to intercept. No image of him since his incarceration leaked in the press or reached the federals’ hands. When his driver, Gaspare Mutolo, dropped him off somewhere, he made sure to calculate all possibilities: the surrounding danger and the escape routes if needed. As a good Godfather, Riina never showed the slightest sign of intolerance to the penitentiary system. He remained the “boss” under all circumstances. During his trials, he denied everything flatly. Even the existence of a group named Mafia or Cosa Nostra. For the Palermo police, it was a true nightmare. They were threatened by criminals and questioned by residents disillusioned by the magnitude of the criminal organization. A former city policeman, Francesco Accordino, recounts the events:
“We were alone and without resources, we lived a shielded life. A life inside this building (police station) that we nicknamed ‘the outpost of lost men.’ Because whoever worked here, had to lose all hope of living a normal life.”
Three of his colleagues were murdered. Followed by an unbroken chain of journalists, prefects, elected officials, entrepreneurs. Toto Riina eliminates anyone who threatens his empire, regardless of their profession or origin.
