Assassination of an Intl. Fashion Guru | Gianni Versace
The designer walked in with an entourage, including [Versace’s boyfriend] Antonio D’Amico and [Capriccio choreographer] Val Caniparoli, who quickly introduced him to a few people. After about fifteen minutes of chitchat and waves of young men eager to meet him, Versace began to survey the room. He noticed Andrew standing with Eli, cocked his head, and walked in their direction. “I know you,” he said to Andrew. “Lago di Como, no?” Versace was referring to the house he owned on Lake Como near the Swiss border. Reportedly he would often use the Lago di Como line when he wanted to strike up a conversation with someone.
Andrew was thrilled and Eli couldn’t believe it. “That’s right,” Andrew answered. “Thank you for remembering, Signore Versace.” Then Andrew introduced Eli to Versace, who made polite talk about whether they had seen the opera. (They hadn’t.) Eli and Andrew then drifted back down to the dance floor. — Excerpt from: Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth.
December 2nd, 1946 | Reggio di Calabria, Italy
Antonio Versace, an appliance salesman, and Francesca Versace, a dressmaker, welcomed their newborn son to the world, Gianni Versace.
As a young boy, Gianni often hung around his mother’s shop, admiring the dressmaking and women who visited to purchase them. Outside of his mother’s dressmaking shop, Gianni would roam the Greek and Roman ruins in the area. The ruins would later inspire many of his clothing designs.
At 18 years old, while finishing schooling, Gianni worked for his mother’s shop. His primary task was to travel around to fashion shows and purchase dresses for their boutique.
When Gianni Versace turned 22 years old, he was hired to design his first clothing collection that would be sold at his mother’s store. Upon his newfound success as a designer, Gianni moved to Milan, Italy in 1972 to advance his career.
After successful work for numerous mainstream Italian designers, Gianni procured backing from the Girombellis fashion family and opened his own designing company, Gianni Versace SpA.
In 1978, Versace hosted his first show featuring his collection under his name. He enlisted his brother to be CEO and his sister to be a designer and the Vice President.
Gianni Versace continued to grow his fashion empire throughout the 80’s and early 90’s. His efforts and success in the industry will credit him with turning the fashion industry into the celebrity-filled empire it is today.
With growing success, Versace’s empire spread into the United States, with the presence of his boutiques. Gianni would soon move to the United States and open his 28,000 square foot flagship store in Manhattan. Versace owned four homes around the world, including a mansion, Casa Casuarina, on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, Florida.
July 15th, 1997 | Miami Beach, Florida
Gianni Versace, 50 years old now, awoke in his mansion on Ocean Drive by 6 a.m., as he was typically an early riser. He tended to some business calls to Milan, Italy and handled various other business matters.
Versace made the decision to head to a local café, News Café located just three blocks from Casa Casuarina. Gianni typically sent his assistant to complete this task for him and it is not known why he chose to go by himself on this specific day.
Walking to the café, a waitress, later interviewed, witnessed Versace walk past the entrance. The waitress said that he then circled back around and entered the café. She recalls Gianni appearing distressed, weary, and as if he knew someone was following him.
Gianni purchased his favorite Italian newspaper and left the establishment to walk home.
Arriving at Casa Casuarina, a mansion in which he spent millions purchasing and renovating, Gianni walked up the five marble steps that led to the entrance gate.
Wearing knee-length shorts, a gray tank top, baseball cap, and a backpack, Andrew Cunanan rushed up to the stairs as Gianni put his key into the gate’s lock to open it. Cunanan pulled the trigger, twice.
Gianni Versace fell on the marble steps outside of Casa Casuarina, fatally shot execution style. Andrew Cunanan casually walks away.
Gianni’s boyfriend, Antonio D’amico heard the gunfire and rushed outside. Antonio found Gianni’s lifeless body on the five marble steps.
The manhunt for Andrew Cunanan
Andrew Cunanan was on a three month killing spree and was listed on the F.B.I. ‘s top ten most wanted list. Prior to Gianni Versace, Cunanan also committed the following:
After the fatal shooting of Gianni Versace, Andrew Cunanan fled to a nearby houseboat. The houseboat, owned by a snowbird, was comadered by Cunanan as a hideout by breaking and entering.
As the manhunt continued, the entire island of Miami Beach was cordoned off. Roadblocks and checkpoints were set up on every road exiting the island. However, authorities had no luck locating Cunanan as he stayed dormant in the houseboat.
Eight days after Versace’s death, July 23rd, 1997, the snowbird houseboat owner arrived in Miami Beach, not knowing what would soon occur.
Walking up to the door of his houseboat, he noticed the lights and televisions were on. He promptly returned to his car where he retrieved his pistol. Approaching the houseboat, he entered with his gun aimed.
The snowbird called out, “Come out, I’m armed.” Andrew Cunanan fired a warning shot. The snowbird fled out the front door and promptly called 911 to report an active breaking and entering.
With the whole area on lockdown due to the search for Cunanan, no risk was going to be taken. A fully equipped SWAT team was dispatched to handle the home invasion.
Andrew Cunanan realizes his life on the run is over as he looks out the windows and sees the houseboat surrounded by authorities. The police helicopter overhead rumbled the houseboat. Cunanan made his way to the master bedroom.
He sat on the bed, pistol in hand, and began to cry. Andrew raised the pistol to his head and pulled the trigger. The SWAT team found his lifeless body on the bed. Andrew committed suicide and didn’t leave behind a note or any personal effects.
Twenty years later, the motive of Andrew’s killings are still unclear. It was speculated that he was seeking revenge after those who he believed gave him HIV. However, an autopsy performed on Andrew’s body proved he did not have HIV. Gianni Versace’s family and spokesperson has also confirmed that Gianni did not have HIV.
F.B.I. officials believe that Andrew Cunanan was targeting gay men who lived the infamous and influential life he desired. However, the truth of the motive will never be known.
Gianni Versace was cremated and his remains are located in his family’s vault at Moltrasio Cemetery near Lake Como in Northern Italy’s Lombardy Region.
Gianni Versace is survived by his sister, Donatella, who took over the fashion empired the guru created. Today, Versace is represented by over 1,500 boutiques worldwide.
Originally published at https://www.murderstation.com on March 30, 2020.
