on 6 august 1985, he was returning home via the "viale della croce rossa" 81 in palermo in an alfetta and escorted by two agents. he exited the car and reached the front door of his home when a group of nine hitmen with ak-47 rifles, who were lurking in a construction building, opened fire. agent roberto antiochia, who had come out of the car to open the door for cassarà, was struck by shots and fell to the floor in front of the entrance door. natale mondo, the other escort agent, remained unharmed succeeding in taking cover under the car, (but was later killed on 14 january 1988). cassarà, hit by the killers almost simultaneously with antiochia, died inside the entrance hall in the arms of his wife laura, who saw the ambush with their daughter from the balcony of their home. antonino cassarà is buried in the sant'orsola cemetery in palermo. after the assassination (or in the meanwhile) his notebook, which was assumed to contain important information, disappeared from his office.