Matteo Messina Denaro dead – Sicilian Mafia boss, 61, who inspired The Godfather dies in hospital after years on the run

SICILIAN mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, who spent 30 years on the run before his arrest in January, has died. The 61 year old – responsible for heinous crimes that shocked Italy and the world and inspired The Godfather – had been suffering from cancer. AFPThe mafia don was finally seized by cops in January[/caption] The infamous mafia leader inspired The Godfather As Denaro’s health had deteriorated in recent weeks, he was transferred from his maximum security prison to hospital. The mafia don, who fronted up the notorious Sicilian “Cosa Nostra” group, once boasted to have murdered enough people to fill a cemetery. Following his reign of terror, he was convicted of numerous murders, bombings and attacks on other mafia groups and the civilian population. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY… The Sun is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Download our fantastic, new and improved free App for the best ever Sun Online experience. For iPhone click here, for Android click here.  Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.