35-year-old shot dead on scooter in Vieste, investigators probe mafia link
Antonello Scirpoli, 35, was killed by gunfire while riding a scooter in the Defensola area of Vieste late on 3 July. Carabinieri are investigating possible ties to the Gargano organised crime groups.
The attack
Antonello Scirpoli, 35, was killed by multiple gunshots while riding a scooter in the Defensola area on the outskirts of Vieste late on 3 July 2026. The attack occurred near his home. Emergency services were called but could only confirm his death at the scene. Carabinieri immediately launched an investigation.
Victim's background
Scirpoli, known locally by the nickname "Musulin", was already known to law enforcement. According to Fanpage, he had previously helped the fugitive of a former right-hand man of the Gargano boss Raduano. This connection is now a central line of inquiry for investigators.
Mafia context
The murder is the latest in a series of violent episodes in the Foggia province. In January 2026, Alessandro Moretti, 34, nephew of a prominent mafia boss held under the 41-bis regime, was killed in a pistol ambush. The area's organised crime groups, known as "batteries", are undergoing a period of restructuring, vendettas and internal feuds following major police operations. The operations "DecimAzione" and "DecimAzione bis" led to the arrest of top figures, destabilising the criminal hierarchy.
The Foggia batteries have been hit by major anti-mafia operations. Among the latest are 'DecimAzione' and 'DecimAzione bis' in which the top leaders of the organisation were arrested. Even now, previous mafia trials are underway where the leaders, subject to precautionary measures, are receiving exemplary sentences from the judicial authority.
Sanna, a former chief inspector of the Foggia Mobile Squad, told Fanpage that the crackdowns have created a power vacuum. Younger members are now trying to assert themselves.
I believe these individuals are trying to make their presence felt on the territory so that the leadership recognises their desire for growth, also considering the current hegemony of the Moretti-Pellegrino-Lanza battery.
Investigation
Carabinieri are reconstructing Scirpoli's final hours and assessing whether the killing is directly linked to the Gargano mafia. No arrests have been reported so far.
