Bartolomeo Gagliano

Case record: Bartolomeo Gagliano

Background

Bartolomeo Gagliano was mentally ill and was serving time for multiple murders and other offences. He was allowed out on day release to visit his elderly mother but failed to return.

Gagliano was a native Sicilian.

The offence

In 1981, Gagliano was convicted of fatally stoning one prostitute and wounding another prostitute.

In 1989, after escaping from a criminal asylum, Gagliano and a fellow inmate, Francesco Sedda, broke out and embarked on a killing spree. During that spree, they:

• Killed Nahir Fernandez Rodriguez, described as a Uruguayan transsexual, with a shot through the mouth less than a month after the evasion.
• On Valentine’s Day 1989, Gagliano and Sedda shot dead Francesco Panizzi, described as a drug addict transvestite, and they were nicknamed "Valentine's killers".
• Less than 24 hours later, they gunned down Laura Baldi, a prostitute, who survived injuries at the neck and the face.

Authorities later said Gagliano was armed and "dangerous".

During the failed return from day release in 2013, authorities said that after leaving his mother’s house in Savona, Gagliano hijacked at gunpoint the car of a baker who was delivering bread early in the morning. Authorities said Gagliano forced the driver to drive him back to Genoa, and then there he eventually released the baker and left aboard a white Fiat Panda.

Police set up vehicle checkpoints in the Genoa area. There were fears he might have driven across the nearby border into France.

Investigation

Genoa police launched a manhunt for Bartolomeo Gagliano.

Security forces across Italy were put on high alert and police set up vehicle checkpoints in the Genoa area.

Justice Minister Annamaria Cancellieri said the incident was “very serious” and required a “rigorous assessment”.

Justice Minister Annamaria Cancellieri said: “very serious” and requires a “rigorous assessment”. “It’s useless to deny that this will be a blow to our attempts to make prisons more civil and able to fulfill their rehabilitative function.”

Arrest

Gagliano was arrested after the 1981 killings.

After the 1989 spree, Gagliano and Sedda were later arrested.

Trial

In 1981, Gagliano was sentenced to eight years in a criminal asylum for the mentally ill after being convicted of killing a prostitute and wounding another.

After the 1989 break-out and killings, Gagliano and Sedda were later arrested and were reportedly tried to justify their actions, saying they targeted individuals who spread the HIV virus.

Sentencing

In 1981, Gagliano received a sentence of eight years in a criminal asylum for the mentally ill.

After escaping in 1989, Gagliano was remanded to another psychiatric institute.

Gagliano was serving the last year of a jail sentence for a series of robberies at Genoa’s Marassi prison. Authorities said he had kept on exploiting generous day releases to evade, commit robberies, thefts and assaults.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome

Gagliano was still at large after failing to return from day release in 2013. Authorities launched a manhunt.

He had escaped six times in all.

Aftermath

Prison staff at Genoa’s Marassi penitentiary said they had no clue he was a killer when they granted him temporary leave to visit his mother.

A prison warden identified as Salvatore Mazzeo stated:

“We didn't see it coming,” said prison warden Salvatore Mazzeo. “Lately his behaviour had much improved.”

Mazzeo also told La Stampa:

“We did not know he had this criminal history, for us he was a robber,” prison warden Salvatore Mazzeo told La Stampa.

People mentioned

• Bartolomeo Gagliano — convicted serial killer; mentally ill; fugitive
• Francesco Sedda — fellow inmate who broke out in 1989; died in 1994
• Nahir Fernandez Rodriguez — Uruguayan transsexual; killed in 1989 with a shot through the mouth
• Francesco Panizzi — described as a drug addict transvestite; shot dead on Valentine’s Day 1989
• Laura Baldi — prostitute; gunned down less than 24 hours after the killing of Francesco Panizzi; survived injuries at the neck and the face
• Salvatore Mazzeo — prison warden
• Annamaria Cancellieri — Justice Minister
• Fausto Lamparelli — Genoa police official who said Gagliano was "dangerous"

Other details

Gagliano escaped from a psychiatric hospital in 1989.

Gagliano was also convicted of attempted murder as well as robbery and the possession of drugs and weapons.

Gagliano hijacked a bakery delivery van at gunpoint in Savona during the 2013 escape from day release.

Gagliano left aboard a white Fiat Panda in 2013.

Gagliano was 55 in the 2013 reports.

Gagliano was reported to have attempted to justify actions in 1989 by claiming they targeted individuals who spread the HIV virus.

Gagliano kept on exploiting generous day releases to evade, commit robberies, thefts and assaults.

He reportedly had a history of escaping from custody and continued to evade authorities through repeated escapes.