The famous response that the police had been waiting for for months finally arrived on Monday with the assassination of mafioso Francesco Del Balso. Observers believe this could close a bloody chapter in the history of organized crime.
• Read also: Mafioso Francesco Del Balso murdered in broad daylight
“It was a matter of time before he got fired. We all expected it, even him, he tried to leave the country, ”says criminologist Maria Mourani.
The 53-year-old criminal had been on a tightrope for months, among other things because he was suspected by the police of having orchestrated last March the attempted murder of Leonardo Rizzuto, youngest son of Vito Rizzuto. Moreover, he had shortly after been arrested at the airport with a one-way ticket for Europe, and this, without any luggage with him.
“He was desperate, believes Antonio Nicaso, professor and author, mafia specialist. If you want to kill someone like Leonardo Rizzuto, you need to have a strong base and troops behind you. The fact that he wanted to flee shows a weakness. If he really had people supporting him, as he implied, he might still be alive.
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No retaliation expected
If Del Balso was at one time a man of confidence of Vito Rizzuto, he however moved away from the Sicilian clan during the incarceration of the deceased godfather, possibly by excess of confidence.
“He believed he had the expertise to take it wider, he saw an opportunity and claimed more power. It’s all about power and succession, basically,” adds Mr. Nicaso.
Moreover, several experts consulted by The newspaper do not even expect reprisals in response to this murder.
MAXIME DELAND/QMI AGENCY
A large police deployment was present in Dorval, where Francesco Del Balso was killed on Monday afternoon. MAXIME DELAND/QMI AGENCY
“He is a character who was known. Several individuals probably had many reasons to resent him, comments retired Montreal police officer André Gélinas. This murder may be the business of many people. »
Successful contract
To see the number of projectiles fired in the direction of Del Balso, everything indicates that the shooter did not want to miss his shot. Remember that the mobster was the target of an attempted murder two blocks from his home last November.
“He had been lucky, but then he wanted revenge. If we missed him this time, he would still have wanted to retaliate, ”says Mme Mourani.
– With the collaboration of Maxime Deland