Forty years ago, on July 28, 1985, in the seaside village of Santa Flavia, Palermo, the Mafia decided it was time to settle their score with the police officer who was bothering organized crime. Commissioner Beppe Montana, the investigator who "captured" fugitives, was apprehended by Cosa Nostra during one of his rare moments of leisure and relaxation: a Sunday afternoon after returning from a boat trip with friends and family. His assassination occurred a few days before the fatal ambush of Deputy Commissioner Antonino Cassarà and Officer Roberto Antiochia. Three critical figures in the 1980s' fight against the mafia, who collaborated closely with Falcone and Borsellino. "They were servants of the values of our community", said President Sergio Mattarella. "Intelligent and tenacious detectives, they inflicted devastating blows on the mafia, assisting in the apprehension of dangerous fugitives, establishing knowledge of criminal structures, and aiding the investigative work of brave magistrates, with whom they were valuable collaborators. Giuseppe Montana was one of the architects of Palermo's ‘fugitive-catching’ unit, whose work significantly undermined the myth of the Mafia's invulnerability. Antonino Cassarà contributed significantly to the Maxi Trial, which revealed the clans and resulted in the conviction of their chain of involvement. Montana and Cassarà, together with their escort agent Antiochia, were symbols of the State’s commitment, and were killed because the mafia feared them". Mattarella underscored that "their life stories are passed on to younger generations so that they can cultivate those values of legality and justice that alone can give us a dignified future. On Remembrance Day, I renew the country's closeness and solidarity to their families, colleagues, and all who were their friends".