Five dead for failing to pay odd job man

Giuseppe Raeli, 69, has also been accused of attempting to kill four other people - again for not paying invoices.

Raeli's murderous spree lasted 13 years - police were puzzled by killings as they appeared at first to have no apparent motive.

Initially police in Cassibile, near Syracuse on the Mafia's island stronghold of Sicily, suspected a hitman was responsible, as all the victims were killed in the same way: with a single bullet to the head.

Raeli was dubbed "The Monster of Cassibile" by locals, but his wife nicknamed him "U lupo" ("The Wolf") as he "liked to be alone" and rarely spent time with her and their two children.

Police arrested him after discovering all the victims had owed him small amounts of money for jobs he had done as part of his wood supply business. He was linked to the cases after a shotgun shell case was found in his garage matching those found at the scene of the shootings.

Chief prosecutor Ugo Rossi said: "He wanted justice for himself over those who didn't pay him for small jobs he'd done for them, and he was willing to kill for unpaid invoices of just €200."

The killing spree began in 1999 when Rosario Timponello was killed after he failed to pay Raeli for chopping down a tree.