In 1928, Italian immigrants in Scranton were particularly violent. Dynamite was the weapon of choice used to intimidate and exact revenge of their targets and ideological enemies. The Black Hand, present for decades, was now joined by fascists and anti-fascists during Mussolini's reign in Italy. Read about how the city was rocked by attacks leading up to the Great Depression.
Margaret Martin, a bright and involved young lady, tragically disappeared in 1938 after a job interview offer. Her body was found with signs of struggle, leading to a murder investigation. Despite multiple suspects and leads, the case remains unsolved to this day.
Vittorio "Victor" Giacometti, an Italian immigrant from Gubbio, made a new life in the US, opening a restaurant and becoming a US citizen. His mysterious death led to speculations of suicide or murder, with rumors of gang involvement and love affairs. While it's considered a closed case, so many questions remain unanswered.
In October 1921, a Halloween party in Scranton turned deadly when a quarrel over hats led to Egisto Migliosi being fatally shot by Giuseppe Piccotti. Despite efforts to bring Piccotti to justice, he fled to Italy. Eventually, Piccotti was tracked down and arrested in 1928, but the case's resolution remains unknown.
Scranton, PA. In the early days of this blue-collar city, a well-known doctor is murdered and a manhunt follows. A man is first convicted, then later acquitted. Does his wife's outburst in court thirty years later finally reveal the true killer?
Exploring historic crimes in NEPA 