Giovanna Bonanno

Giovanna Bonanno (c. 1713 – 30 July 1789) was an alleged Italian witch and professional poisoner known as la vecchia dell'aceto, "The Old Vinegar Lady."

Trial and execution One day, a friend of Bonanno's, Maria Pitarra, was delivering a poison when she realized that the victim was to be the son of a friend, and decided to warn the mother. The mother made an order for the poison herself, and when Bonanno arrived, she was arrested. The trial opened in October 1788. Bonanno was accused of sorcery. Some of the apothecaries who were selling her potions were called to testify.

The Italian term aceto, that is, "vinegar," was the code-word for Bonnano's poison, a mixture of white wine, arsenic, and vinegar for lice. She referred to it as "arcane vinegar liquor," and an order would be placed for "vinegar." At the time, it was an untraceable poison.

She was executed by hanging on 30 July 1789.