Episode 78: Antonio Neroni Part 1

In this chilling two-part series, Stephanie and Sandy take listeners deep into one of Colorado’s darkest and most unsettling Italian American cases—the life and crimes of Antonio Neroni, a man who lived under many names…and left just as many tragedies behind.
Born in Italy in 1877, Neroni’s violent past began shockingly early—and followed him across the ocean to the rugged company towns of southern Colorado. By the early 1900s, “Tony Bava,” as he called himself, had settled in Florence, where mysterious disappearances began to ripple through the community: a housekeeper, a farmhand, and two brothers who were also his business partners.
When charred bones, burned clothing, and a blood-stained axe were discovered on his property, the quiet farming town erupted into fear, superstition, and rage. Crowds gathered. Psychic visions were reported. And investigators unearthed horrors along the Arkansas River and beneath Neroni’s farmhouse cellar that stunned even seasoned lawmen.
In Part 1, we cover:
• Neroni’s violent beginnings in Italy
• The world of Colorado coal towns in the early 1900s
• The sudden disappearances surrounding his small Florence farm
• Disturbing discoveries that turned rumor into terror
• Neroni’s chilling confessions…and contradictions
• His unhinged escape attempts and increasing instability
This is a story filled with mystery, hysteria, community fear, and a growing body count—one that captured headlines across the country and had Colorado wondering whether they were facing a murderer, a madman, or something far worse.
Join us as we unravel the first half of the shocking case of Antonio Neroni, Colorado’s forgotten nightmare.
Stay tuned next week for Part 2, where we dive into the trial, the hunt for the final missing man, and the explosive conclusion of this unbelievable story.