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  Vatican Gives Police Go-Ahead to Open Gangster's Tomb in Bid to Solve Mystery of Teenage Girl's Disappearance

By Nick Pisa
The Mail
July 6, 2010

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1292366/Gangster-Enrico-De-Pediss-tomb-opened-solve-Emanuela-Orlandi-disappearance.html

The Vatican has given permission for an Italian gangster's tomb to be opened in an attempt to solve the mystery of a teenage girl's disappearance.

Emanuela Orlandi, 15, disappeared in 1983, and the body of the Vatican employee's daughter has never been found.

However, it has been claimed that her remains may be found in the tomb of Enrico De Pedis, leader of Rome's ruthless Magliana gang.

De Pedis was gunned down aged just 38 by members of his outfit after they fell out in 1990.

It is not clear whether police expect to find Emanuela's remains in the tomb or documents that could shed light on her disappearance.

There was controversy when, despite his criminal past, church officials allowed De Pedis to be buried in the crypt of the Basilica of Sant Apollinare in central Rome.

At the time it was said the burial was given the go-ahead because De Pedis had 'repented while in jail and also done a lot of work for charity', including large donations to the Catholic Church.

Now ecclesiastical authorities in Rome, after liaising with the Vatican, have said they will 'not oppose any request from police to have the tomb of Mr De Pedis opened and examined and his body moved'.

It is not clear whether police expect to find Emanuela's remains in the tomb or documents that could shed light on her disappearance.

Emanuela Orlandi disappeared in 1983 aged 15. The body of the Vatican employee\'s daughter has never been found

There was controversy when, despite his criminal past, church officials allowed De Pedis to be buried in the crypt of the Basilica of Sant Apollinare in central Rome.

At the time it was said the burial was given the go-ahead because De Pedis had 'repented while in jail and also done a lot of work for charity', including large donations to the Catholic Church.

Now ecclesiastical authorities in Rome, after liaising with the Vatican, have said they will 'not oppose any request from police to have the tomb of Mr De Pedis opened and examined and his body moved'.

De Pedis, whose name on the the £12,000 tomb is spelt in diamonds, was buried in Sant Apollinare church after he was gunned down in the city's famous Campo De Fiori, a popular destination for tourists.

He and his gang controlled the lucrative drug market in Rome and were also rumoured to have a 'free hand' because of their links with police and Italian secret service agents.

Emanuela's disappearance reads like the roller-coaster plot of a Dan Brown thriller.

Ten years ago a skull was found in the confessional box of a Rome church and tests were carried out on it to see if it was hers after a mystery tip-off but they proved negative.

Then two years ago Sabrina Minardi, De Pedis' girlfriend at the time of Orlandi's disappearance, sensationally claimed that now dead American monsignor Paul Marcinkus, the controversial chief of the Vatican bank, was behind the kidnap.

Mystery: Enrico De Pedis' tomb will be opened in the search for clues into the 1983 disappearance of 15-year-old Emanuela Orlandi

At the same time as Minardi made her claim a mystery caller to a missing person's programme on Italian TV said the riddle of Orlandi's kidnap would be solved 'if De Pedis' tomb was opened'.

However, the teenager's family are sceptical about the claims.

'We will await the facts,' Emanuela's sister Natalina told the Telegraph.

'But I have never believed that Emanuela could be buried with De Pedis.'

It has also been claimed that she had been kidnapped to put pressure on the Italian authorities to release the man who shot and wounded Pope John Paul II.

A Rome police spokeswoman said: 'We are aware of the statement regarding Enrico De Pedis tomb and the investigation is still ongoing.

Resting place: Basilica Sant Apollinare in Rome, where De Pedis' tomb is located

'Any decision on whether to open it rests with the prosecutor and they will decide. In the meantime we continue to investigate the Orlandi case and speak to witnesses as part of our work.'

The case was re-opened two years ago and officials are unlikely to open the tomb until next month or in September.

Sant Apollinare is a seventh century church that stands close to the site of the Roman baths built by the Emperor Nero. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Vicariate of Rome, which ultimately answers to the Vatican.

 
 

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