▁was ▁an ▁Italian ▁magistr ate ▁killed ▁by ▁the ▁C osa ▁N ost ra . ▁ ▁Chief ▁Pro sec utor ▁of ▁Pal ermo , ▁he ▁was ▁assass in ated ▁by ▁the ▁M af ia ▁on ▁ 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁while ▁brow sing ▁books ▁on ▁a ▁st all ▁located ▁on ▁a ▁side walk ▁in ▁Via ▁Cav our ▁in ▁Pal ermo , ▁a ▁few ▁steps ▁from ▁his ▁home . ▁He ▁was ▁hit ▁with ▁three ▁gun sh ots ▁to ▁his ▁back ▁by ▁two ▁kill ers ▁on ▁a ▁motor cycle . ▁The ▁cause ▁of ▁that ▁r uth less ▁execution ▁was ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁personally ▁signed ▁the ▁arrest ▁orders ▁against ▁b oss ▁Ros ario ▁Sp at ola ▁and ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁men ▁while ▁other ▁colle agues ▁of ▁his ▁refused ▁to ▁sign . ▁The ▁crime ▁was ▁ordered ▁by ▁the ▁M af ia ▁cl an ▁head ed ▁by ▁Salv atore ▁In zer illo . ▁ ▁Life ▁Ga et ano ▁Costa ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁C alt an iss etta . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁Law ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pal ermo . ▁As ▁a ▁boy , ▁during ▁the ▁F asc ist ▁regime , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁then ▁c land est ine ▁Italian ▁Commun ist ▁Party . ▁After ▁winning ▁the ▁compet itive ▁exam ination ▁in ▁the ▁mag ist racy , ▁he ▁was ▁en list ed ▁as ▁an ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Reg ia ▁Aer onaut ica ▁and ▁obtained ▁two ▁War ▁Cross es . ▁Following ▁the ▁ 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁he ▁reached ▁the ▁Sus a