Sat Nov 23 11:49:10 UTC 2024: ## Mafia-Style Intimidation: Severed Horse Head Found in Sicily
**PALERMO, Sicily** – A gruesome discovery has sent shockwaves through the Sicilian town of Altofonte, recalling a notorious scene from the film *The Godfather*. A severed horse’s head, drenched in blood, was found on the seat of a digger belonging to a local construction contractor. The grim find was accompanied by the bodies of a pregnant cow and its calf.
Mayor Angela De Luca expressed horror at the incident, stating, “I was petrified; I can’t comprehend such barbarity. This act seems to take us back to the Middle Ages.”
The incident, reported by *The Guardian*, has sparked outrage on the island, particularly given the recent release of over 20 mafia bosses from prison. Investigators believe the act is a classic example of mafia intimidation, designed to terrorize the businessman and exploit his likely emotional attachment to animals. Similar incidents, including the discovery of a goat’s head and a pig’s head at other locations in recent months, highlight the continued use of this brutal tactic by organized crime. Police are investigating the incident.
First Piper 