Investigation into the Ranucci case expands
Valter Lavitola is facing allegations of an assassination attempt
Rome – The investigation into the bomb attack on the well-known investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci is expanding. Publisher and businessman Valter Lavitola now faces serious allegations of an assassination attempt that endangered public safety. At the same time, the number of unanswered questions surrounding the alleged motive is growing.
The attack took place last fall in front of Ranucci’s home in Pomezia, south of Rome. A homemade explosive device destroyed two parked cars and damaged the gate to the courtyard. No one was injured, even though the TV host’s daughter had arrived home only about twenty minutes earlier. Ranucci has been at the helm of the investigative TV magazine „Report“ for years.
The relationship between the alleged mastermind and the victim is particularly puzzling. This is because Lavitola and Ranucci are considered friends; the journalist himself described the suspect as a true friend and said he was shaken by the allegations. This close connection makes it difficult for investigators to determine a plausible motive for the crime.
Several hypotheses have been put forward. One line of inquiry points to political ambitions: Lavitola is said to have considered promoting the popular host as the leading figure of a left-wing coalition and even commissioned polls for that purpose. Another interpretation suggests the attack was staged to boost Ranucci’s profile—though there is no evidence to support this. Ranucci himself suspects that someone wanted to hinder his editorial team’s work.
The suspicion against Lavitola is based, among other things, on cell phone data: it reportedly shows him and one of his employees near Ranucci's house about a month before the crime. Even before that, Lavitola Has Come Under the Spotlight of Investigators as the Alleged Mastermind. The defendant denies the charges, and the prosecution is continuing its investigation.
