The time for revenge: six months of waiting, a revenge that could not fail. For the Avventurato family, the murder of Pasquale Tortora was never an impulsive reaction. Rather, it was a crime long harbored, grown out of obsession and the conviction of having to repay the blood spilled with more blood.
According to witnesses, for at least six months, Bruno and Giancarlo Avventurato tried to close the net around the person they believed to be the true mastermind behind Giuseppe Avventurato's murder. This net tightened slowly, quietly, because—as evidenced by the transcripts—the revenge shouldn't directly bear the family's mark.
The reports of the informants that shed light on the bloody crime are contained in the more than 500 pages of the arrest warrant requested and obtained by the prosecutor Henry John Woodcock of the Naples DDA against eight people from the Lungo-Aloia-Covone clan for the murder of Ottavio Colalongo which took place in Scisciano in December of last year.
Revenge that matures over time
The murder of Pasquale Tortora did not begin on the streets and did not explode in a wave of emotion.
According to what was told to the magistrates by Cosimo Nicolì and Giancarlo Avventurato himself, collaborators of justice, the crime matured slowly, over the course of at least six months, within the Camorra group led by the Avventurato family.
After Giuseppe Avventurato's murder, the reaction wasn't immediate. Bruno and Giancarlo Avventurato took the blow, observed, and gathered information. The conviction that solidified, however, was clear: Pasquale Tortora was identified as the mastermind behind their brother's murder, the man who allegedly worked behind the scenes, without directly exposing himself.
Giancarlo Avventurato told the prosecutors without hesitation: Bruno had realized that Pasquale Tortora and his brother-in-law Salvatore Cannavacciulo had killed Giuseppe. From that moment, he decided that Tortora had to die.
But the revenge, both collaborators explain, had to be carried out without the Avventurato family appearing directly. Tortora, in fact, is described as having indirect family ties to the Avventuratos: a detail that makes the operation even more delicate.
Secret meetings and the veto on the "Acerrans"
The first operational meetings were held between Afragola and Acerra. Cosimo Nicolì, in particular, was the one who recounted them, becoming a key turning point in the story.
In the minutes of June 28, 2022, Nicolì recalls the arrival at his home of brothers Bruno and Giancarlo Avventurato, accompanied by Andrea Aloia and Gennaro, known as 'o biondo.' The atmosphere is filled with anger and frustration. They openly discuss Giuseppe Avventurato's death and the need for revenge.
«Everyone showed a desire for revenge», Nicolì states in the statement. At a certain point, Andrea Aloia offers to carry out the murder. But Bruno Avventurato stops him:"He's too young to ruin his life.", is the phrase that Nicolì attributes to the leader of the group.
Gennaro 'o Biondo also says he's ready to shoot, but is stopped in his turn. The reason is clear and repeated several times: "He didn't want the murder to be directly linked to the Acerra people.", explains Nicolì.
The line is ironclad: Tortora must die, but not at the hands of men directly linked to the family.
Galdiero's offer and the choice of the killers
It's in this context that Alessio Galdiero enters the picture. He's the one who presents himself as the perpetrator of the murder. According to Nicolì, Galdiero sees the crime as a chance to return to Acerra, after having been expelled in the past. «For him it could have been an opportunity to return to Acerra», says Nicolì.
No financial compensation is agreed upon. No amount, no written agreement. The Avventuratos accept Galdiero's offer, committing to provide weapons, support, and cover. Along with Galdiero, Angelo Di Palma is also involved, agreeing to work alongside him.
Giancarlo Avventurato confirms this passage: "It was Nicoli who identified Di Palma and Galdiero as possible killers. We, the Avventurato group, provided the weapons."
The on-site inspections and the study of the victim
Once the roles were defined, the operational phase began. Galdiero and Di Palma, accompanied by Giancarlo Avventurato and Andrea Aloia, conducted numerous site inspections in Acerra.
«There were three places frequented by Tortora where the murder could be committed», Nicolì explains. A bar in Casalnuovo, a gas station, the area near a dealership. Tortora is followed, observed, and studied in his daily habits.
During one of the organizational meetings, Gennaro 'o biondo indicates what will become the definitive solution: «The best way was under his house, at lunchtime, when he came home to eat».
The proposal convinces everyone, also because the identified location is close to the killers' support base.
The support and the waiting that wears you down
The killers were housed for days in a support apartment in Acerra. According to Nicolì, they remained hidden, supported by an elderly woman. The order to strike, however, was slow in coming.
Bruno Avventurato imposes a precise rule: "The shooting should have been carried out the day after the killers entered the shelter.".
Due to a series of postponements, the murder is postponed several times. The wait creates tension. Galdiero complains openly and even leaves his support in protest.
«He complained about this prolonged wait»Nicolì says. Envoys are sent to ask for explanations. Reassurances arrive: “It will be done tomorrow.” But the "Tomorrow" keep slipping.
The weapons and the final preparation
The turning point came with the delivery of the weapons. Two .38 caliber pistols, one black and one chrome, were brought to Afragola by Andrea Aloia and Gennaro 'o Bionda. «We immediately started cleaning the weapons», Nicolì records, indicating the people present.
The guns are carefully cleaned, then brought back to Acerra and delivered to the killers at their support point. At that point, according to the collaborators, the decision is final.
The 20 May 2020
On the morning of May 20, 2020, the organization took action. Several individuals acted as mirror operators, tasked with reporting the victim's movements.
Giancarlo Avventurato says: «The mirror was made by Andrea Aloia, Pasquale Di Balsamo and I». When Pasquale Tortora was spotted driving his Mercedes while returning home, a report was made. A few minutes later, confirmation arrived. «Alessio called back saying that everything was okay: Tortora had been killed».
The shooter was Alessio Galdiero. According to Nicolì, Di Palma didn't fire because he was "high on cocaine." The killers were recovered immediately afterward, thanks to a car provided by the Avventurato group.
The direction of the murder
Both collaborators indicate Bruno Avventurato as the mastermind of the murder. "He is the real mastermind of the assassination", Nicolì tells the magistrates, «he took care of all the organization and all the logistics».
According to the stories, Bruno Avventurato would have managed every phase: from sourcing the weapons to the cars, from identifying support to choosing the killers, delegating operational tasks but always maintaining control.
A systemic crime
The murder of Pasquale Tortora, as evidenced by the statements of Cosimo Nicolì and Giancarlo Avventurato, does not appear to be an isolated act. It is a systemic crime, conceived within a criminal organization that thinks, waits, and strikes only when it deems the moment right.
A murder that, in short, reveals once again a Camorra capable of deciding a man's death around a table, long before anyone pulls the trigger. A Camorra capable of waiting, organizing, and striking without haste, when it deems the moment right.
(The photo shows the scene of the murder, and in the boxes, from top left, Giancarlo Avventurato, Bruno Avventurato, and Cosimo Nicolì; at the bottom, also from left, the victim Pasquale Tortora and the killer Alessio Galdiero and Angelo Di Palma)
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The article's topic is very complex and interesting, but it's also difficult to follow. The information is extensive and somewhat confusing. A clearer summary would be helpful to better understand the situation.