Brusciano – A spit on the sidewalk, an act of unquenchable contempt washed in blood. It was the fuse that six years ago, on March 24th, ignited the Camorra ambush that cost the life of Fortunato De Longis, a 22-year-old tealight seller.
Years later, the justice system has come full circle: the Naples preliminary investigations judge has ordered the pre-trial detention of Pietro De Filippis, known as 'o Folletto, believed to be the perpetrator of the murder.
The story, a tangle of wounded honor, criminal calculations, and feuds, begins with a funeral procession. Not just any funeral, but that of Gennaro Rega, nephew of the mafia boss Tommaso Rega, aka Chirichiello.
As the young jockey's coffin passed through Brusciano, De Longis – according to the testimonies collected by the Carabinieri – he spat on the ground with contempt. An unforgivable "slip" for the Rega clan, an affront that according to the rules of the Camorra can only be washed away by death.
The command came from the heart of the 219, stronghold of the Piacente group, allied with the Rega. Six men, three motorcycles. A squad of outlaws assembled for exemplary punishment. Riding the Honda Africa Twin was Bruno Piacente, known as 'o Cacaglio, the boss's father-in-law and the drug dealer's boss. As a passenger, the alleged killer: Pietro De Filippis, known as 'o Folletto.
They pull up alongside the van where Fortunato and his father are traveling.
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The investigations of Carabinieri The Castello di Cisterna Police Company reconstructed the events piece by piece, in a painstaking effort that lasted years. From the initial witnesses, often reticent out of fear, to the surveillance cameras that captured the movement of the motorcycles before and after the attack, the killers' clothing, and their escape to the public housing projects.
"We just wanted to hurt him": mocked by the Mascitelli clan
Then, the decisive blow: the wiretaps. Stolen statements confirmed everyone's roles, including De Filippis's as the perpetrator. The picture was completed by the statements of collaborators with justice, such as Ciro Oliva, who outlined the chain of command and the ties between De Filippis and Piacente.
But the ambush, according to the DDA, wasn't just revenge for the spitting incident. It was a message of strength directed at the rival clan, the Esposito-Palermos, with whom the Regas were vying for control of Brusciano. De Longis was a relative of the Esposito-Palermos. Killing him would strike a blow at the opposing clan and reaffirm their supremacy.
'O Folletto, a repeat offender with prior convictions for drugs, robbery, and Camorra association, also ended up in prison. His—and Piacente's—understated versions ("We just wanted to hurt him") failed to convince either his rivals in the Mascitelli clan, who mocked them by saying, "You went there just to take a piss and you'll get life in prison," or the judge.
In his ruling, the investigating judge dismissed that reconstruction as unbelievable. Instead, he recognized the aggravating circumstance of mafia facilitation, linking the crime to the clan's strategy. For De Filippis, the judge emphasized his high social danger and the real risk of recidivism. These are the reasons why prison seemed the only option, a seal of justice that, despite the long delay, is finally arriving.
Comments (2)
The article clearly describes how justice took its time, but many details remain unclear. Let's hope there will be less violence and greater safety for everyone in the future.
I read the article and found the situation to be very complex, with many facets and legal implications. Justice finally seems to be proceeding, but there are still many unanswered questions about the context of this case.