- The grim discovery occurred in Altofonte, a town on the outskirts of Palermo.
A severed horse head was left on a Sicilian businessman’s property in a scene straight out of the mafia blockbuster The Godfather.
The unnamed construction contractor called agents from the organized crime unit, which specializes in fraud, after he discovered the grizzly bear in the cab of an excavator.
In the classic 1972 film, starring Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, a horse’s head is placed in the bed of ruthless film producer Jack Woltz after he refuses to give Corleone’s godson a role.
Woltz’s horrific blood-curdling screams upon seeing his thoroughbred’s head have gone down in cinema history and made the scene iconic, helped by Brando’s line: “I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
The chilling real-life warning was given in Altofonte, a small town outside Palermo in the mafia stronghold of Sicily, and it didn’t end with the horse’s head.
Police also revealed that gangsters brutally slaughtered a pregnant cow, removed the unborn calf and placed it on the animal’s body in another menacing threat.
A local newspaper described the gruesome discoveries as “scenes from a horror movie.”
The target of the attacks is said to be a well-known figure in his local community who regularly carries out construction work for local councils.
The chilling real-life threat occurred in Altofonte, a small town on the outskirts of Palermo.
The classic 1972 film stars Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone.
Altofonte Mayor Angela De Luca said: “I am shocked and cannot understand the depth of the depravity and barbarity.”
‘I would like to express my solidarity and that of my colleagues to the businessman who is a trusted member of the local community.
‘The entire city has been deeply shocked by this gesture that seems to take us back to the Middle Ages due to its unacceptable methods. It is not a simple criminal gesture, it is barbaric.
“I put my faith and trust in law enforcement who are continually working to try to understand what happened and identify those responsible for such a terrible act.”
Local politician Edy Tamajo criticized the ‘vile act’ and expressed his ‘firm condemnation’.
“This act of unprecedented cruelty represents a mafia mentality that must be eradicated,” he said.
“It is essential that the carabinieri and the judiciary shed all the light on this episode and bring those responsible to justice.”
Woltz’s horrific blood-curdling screams upon seeing the head of his beloved thoroughbred have gone down in cinema history.
The president of the Order of Architects of the Province of Palermo, Iano Monaco, stated in a statement that the society shares “solidarity and support for the businessman who is the victim of violent intimidation” and is willing to help in any way it can.
A police spokesperson said they were investigating the incident and reviewing security cameras, as well as speaking to the businessman.
The Godfather was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and it was later revealed that a real horse head had been used in the film after having obtained it from a local slaughterhouse.
A year after its release, the film won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Brando, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay, grossing nearly $300 million at the box office.
The Sicilian mafia, known as Cosa Nostra, became one of the largest and most powerful organized criminal groups in the world since its beginnings in the 19th century.
Its bloody reputation has given way to more white-collar crime in recent years, preventing murders that attract the attention of authorities.