By Sarah Rainsford, Southern and Eastern Europe correspondent, Rome
A woman who stepped forward against her own father in the 2009 murder of her mother appears to have taken her own life. Denise Cosco was found critically injured Sunday and later died in hospital. She died at 35, the same age her mother was when she was killed.
Her mother, Lea Garofalo, became a powerful symbol of resistance to the 'Ndrangheta after she testified for the state against the murderers. She was murdered by a mafia hit in 2009.
Those close to Cosco recall her courage at her father's trial, but also her great struggle afterward. In the years after the trial she was living under state protection with a new name and identity, fighting mental health challenges and addiction.
Her death is a stark reminder that the mafia does not only kill people but also creates deep wounds in those who survive. Senator Enza Rando and anti‑mafia lawyer Francesca Rispoli both spoke of the pain this event inflicted on Italy.
Rispoli explained that the mafia’s ties are not merely physical; family connections run deep and stay alive even after a witness leaves. She urged that support for people who leave organized crime should be lifelong, not one year.
Cosco’s father, Carlo Cosco, and three accomplices had already been serving life sentences for the attack. The father had convinced Garofalo to a meeting, then the hit was carried out, and her body was dismembered and incinerated. A killer’s statement later helped police recover bone fragments and a necklace identified by Cosco.
The investigation now considers whether anyone encouraged suicide. Cosco’s phone has been seized for analysis. Friends and supporters were due to meet in Milan to honor her near where her mother was abducted.
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