Vassallo Murder, Review Court Cancels Precautionary Measures: Colonel Cagnazzo and Entrepreneur Cipriano Free

Salerno – A dramatic turn of events in the investigation into the murder of the fisherman-mayor of Pollica, Angelo Vassallo, killed on 5 September 2010. The Court of Appeal of Salerno has annulled the custodial order against the Carabinieri Colonel Fabio Cagnazzo and the entrepreneur Giuseppe Cipriano, both of whom have been released.

The measure for the former carabiniere Lazzaro Cioffi was also annulled, but he remains in prison for another judicial matter.

The panel – chaired by Gaetano Sgroia, with Cristina De Luca and Enrichetta Cioffi as associate judges – fully accepted the indications provided by the Court of Cassation, which had already rejected a previous restrictive measure, defining some key points of the circumstantial evidence as “inconsistent”.

The Salerno Prosecutor's Office hypothesized that Vassallo had been killed because he had learned of drug trafficking in Acciaroli, maintaining that Cagnazzo and Cipriano had played a role in planning the crime and that Cioffi had carried out an inspection before the ambush.

The measure for the former carabiniere Lazzaro Cioffi was also annulled, but he remains in prison for another judicial matter.

A Bitch, furthermore, an alleged attempt to divert attention after the crime was charged.

But for the Review Court, the accusatory theses are based on statements by collaborators of justice without objective evidence. The reasons of the Cassation were so clear and decisive that the Review Court decided in record time: the discussions had been held just yesterday, and a decision was expected for May 26. Instead, the final ruling on the point has already arrived today.

Colonel Fabio Cagnazzo, defended by lawyer Ilaria Criscuolo, leaves prison, as does entrepreneur Giuseppe Cipriano. A crucial step in one of the most complex and controversial investigations of recent years.