The Big List of Historic Mafia Murders

Frank Amato

Killed by the DeMeo Crew on September 20, 1980

Amato was the boyfriend of Paul Castellano’s daughter Connie. After Paul got word that Amato had beaten Connie and caused a miscarriage, he ordered a team of killers to take Amato out. Future bosses John Gotti and Joey Massino were both involved in the hit. Amato disappeared after being summoned to the Gemini Lounge. Roy DeMeo and his crew dismembered Amato and he was never found. 

Albert Anastasia aka “The Lord High Executioner”

Killed by Carmine Persico & Joey Gallo on October 25, 1957

Until the murder of Paul Castellano in 1985, this was the most highly publicized mafia hit of all time. The former Murder Inc. and current Mangano Family boss was sitting down for a shave at the Park Sheridan barber shop when two masked shooters, most likely Carmine Persico and Joey Gallo burst in and blew Anastasia away. 

Joe “The Animal” Barboza 

New England Mob Hitman Turned Witness

Barboza was the most feared and hated gangster in Boston in the 1960s. He did contract killings for the mafia and killed enemies in the McLean/Mclaughlin gang war. He eventually made a deal and cooperated against the mafia, putting several innocent men behind bars, some for life. He was found years later by the New England mafia in 1974 in San Francisco and killed. 

Cesare “The Tall Guy” Bonventre 

Carmine Galante’s Bodyguard

Bonanno Family Captain

Cesare was one of the “zips” who were supposedly protecting Carmine Galante the day he was killed at Joe & Mary’s. He went on to become the youngest capo in the Bonanno Family history. He only lasted a few years before karma came around. Joe Massino had Bonventre killed in April 1984, because he knew that Cesare was a genuine threat to his own rise. 

Angelo Bruno “The Gentle Don” 

Bruno Family Boss (Philadelphia Family)

Bruno was killed by his underlings because they felt he was holding them back from some money making ventures, specifically dealing drugs. This hit set off a war in Philly for control of the family. His murderers were taken out on orders of the commission and his successor Phil Testa was blown up by a bomb the next year.

James “Whitey” Bulger 

Winter Hill Boss and FBI Informant

After decades of getting FBI help and beating the system, Whitey paid the price in prison. A mafia associate named Fotios “Freddie” Greas was allegedly the one who killed Bulger on October 29, 2018, beating him viciously and doing some unspeakable acts in the process. This incident could have been predicted as Whitey had recently been put in general population. 

Anthony “Tony Bananas” Caponigro

Bruno Family Captain (Philadelphia Family)

After Angelo Bruno was killed without commission consent, Tony Bananas was a marked man being one of the known killers. Caponigro resented Bruno’s no drug dealing policies and deference to the New York factions. He was called in to a sitdown on April 18, 1980 but would find Joe “Mad Dog” Sullivan waiting instead. Caponigro was found with dollar bills inserted in his orifices. 

Paul Castellano aka “Big Paul”

Gambino Family Boss

Killed by John Gotti’s hitmen on December 15, 1985

The very unpopular Gambino boss was too distracted by his mounting legal problems to realize he was a dead man walking. Big Paul and his underboss/driver Tommy Bilotti were gunned down outside of Sparks Steak House in Manhattan on December 15, 1985. The hit was planned by John Gotti and Sammy Gravano, who then took over the Gambino Family. 

Vincent “Mad Dog” Coll

Killed by Dutch Schultz’ hitmen on February 8, 1932

On February 8, 1932, the most reviled gangster in America, Mad Dog Coll was hit 15 times by machine gun fire while in a phone booth. Coll’s deadly feud with ex-boss Dutch Schultz had caused havoc on the streets and allegedly the death of a young girl. Colls' killers were never named but it’s well known that Schultz had the backing of almost the entire New York underworld in hunting Coll. 

Eddie “The Butcher” Cummiskey

West Side Irish (Westies) Hitman 

Killed by Joe “Mad Dog” Sullivan

Cummiskey was a hit man for the Irish mob who were in a battle with the Italians for control of the Javits Convention Center. Eddie The Butcher was the big muscle so the Genovese Family reached out to notorious hitman Joe Sullivan. “Mad Dog” found Cummiskey at the Sunbrite Bar on August 20, 1976, walked up behind him, killed him and then casually walked out.

William “Wild Bill” Cutolo

Colombo Family Underboss 

Carmine Persico had never forgiven Wild Bill for taking Vic Orena’s side in the family war. Persico was also afraid that Cutolo might do a similar power grab, and had him killed on May 26, 1999. Persico was convicted of Cutolo’s murder in 2007. 

Frank DeCicco 

Gambino Family Underboss

DeCicco was a pivotal player in the Paul Castellano murder and Gotti takeover. The Lucchese and Genovese families were looking for revenge for the unsanctioned murder. On April 13, 1986, a bomb went off under DeCicco’s car as he got in it, killing him and sending parts of his body and the car all over the street. It was orchestrated by Gaspipe Casso and was meant to kill Gotti as well. 

Roy DeMeo 

Gambino Family Captain & Hitman

Leader of The DeMeo Crew

After being directly involved in the killings of some 200 people, Gambino hitman Roy DeMeo faced his own mafia justice in January 1983. Paul Castellano was caught up in a stolen car case because of Roy and sent out the contract, which was turned down by John Gotti who feared Roy. DeMeo was killed by his own crew members and stuffed into his own car’s trunk under a chandelier. 

Thomas “Two Gun Tommy” DeSimone 

Lucchese Family Associate 

Played by Joe Pesci in Goodfellas

It likely went down in real life the way the famous Goodfellas scene depicted it, but details of Tommy Two Guns’ killing in January 1979 have never been fully revealed. It’s known that he was under the impression that he was about to be “made”. Henry Hill had claimed a few times that John Gotti was directly involved, which would make sense because Tommy had killed one of Gotti’s associates. 

“Mad Sam” DeStefano 

Chicago Outfit Enforcer (Associate) 

Mad Sam was the most feared and despised member of the Chicago Outfit. A good earner and a great enforcer but also a complete misfit and deviant. He was killed by his own brother Mario and protege Tony Spiltro when the Outfit tired of his antics. It’s alleged that Tony was the shooter, and one of his shots blew Sam’s arm completely off in the process.

Jack “Legs” Diamond

Irish Mobster - Prohibition 

Legs was a pretty local flamboyant celebrity gangster in New York who gained some powerful enemies. Jack had taken bullets at least 5 times in his life during the bloody prohibition era. It’s believed that Dutch Scultz orchestrated the ambush that finally killed “The Clay Pigeon” on December 18, 1931 when he was killed at the home of his mistress. 

Robert DiBernardo aka “DiB”

Gambino Family Captain

DiBernardo was a massive money maker for the Gambino Family in the 1980s with illegal porno production and distribution. DiB fell out of favor with John Gotti even though DiB had supported Gotti’s takeover. Sammy Gravano claimed that it was Angelo Ruggeiro who had put the bug in Gotti’s ear. And Angelo may have done it because he was heavily in debt to DiBernardo.

Arthur Flegenheimer aka “Dutch Shultz” 

Killed by Mendy Weiss and Charles “The Bug” Workman

Dutch was a top level bootlegger of Jewish heritage. He was an original member of Luciano’s Syndicate before he decided that he wanted to kill federal prosecutor Thomas Dewey. Luciano and the other board members demanded Schultz back down which he did not. He was killed shortly after on October 23, 1935. The job was done by Mendy Weiss and Bug Workman of Murder Inc. 

Carmine “The Cigar” Galante 

Bonanno Family Acting Boss

“Lilo’ was a renegade who brought in the Zips for his drug trade and took over the Bonanno Family by force. When he started boasting about how he would take over all families as boss of bosses, the commission put the contract out. He was gunned down in Joe &  Mary’s restaurant on July 12, 1979 with his trademark cigar cliched tightly. He was set up by the Zips that he had imported from Sicily. 

Joe Gallo aka “Crazy Joe” 

Colombo Family Captain 

Crazy Joe was responsible for starting two major mafia wars. The only reason the first war ended was because Joe was stewing in prison for a decade. He was after Carmine Persico and Joe Colombo, whose shooting he may have ordered in 1971. Gallo was finally caught at Umberto’s Clam House on April 7, 1972 and shot dead in front of family and friends. He was out celebrating his 43rd birthday.

Sam Giancana 

Chicago Outfit Former Boss 1957 - 1966

This was a monumental hit in mafia history. Giancana was the most politically connected mobster in history. Many historians believe he was instrumental in getting Kennedy elected. The CIA supposedly recruited him to kill Fidel Castro. After returning from a long hiatus in Mexico, he was killed in his home on June 19, 1975. This is another mysterious unresolved case, as Sam’s death would have benefited many people.

“Nicky Black” Grancio 

Colombo Family Captain

Orena Faction in Colombo War III

Grancio was a player on the Vic Orena side of the 3rd Colombo Family war. Nicky was to become the new consigliere if Orena won the war. Notorious hitman Greg “The Grim Reaper” Scarpa and his crew out hunting Orena guys on January 7, 1992 when they spotted Nicky Black. It was thought that Scarpa killed Grancio, but recently Scarpa’s protege Larry Mazza claimed to be the one who shot Nicky Black as Greg bumbled the attempt. 

James “Jimmy” Hydell 

Gambino Family Associate

Killed by Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso 

After a failed hit on Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso in 1986, Jimmy Hydell paid the price. He was picked up by the infamous Mob Cops Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa and delivered to Casso who tortured Hydell, later admitting to shooting him at least 10 times before finally killing him. 

Wilfred “Willie Boy” Johnson 

Killed by “Tommy Karate” Pitera

He’d been running with Gotti since John was 17 years old but Willie Boy was exposed in court as an informant in 1985. Gotti promised not to kill Johnson if he didn’t testify, and kept his word for a few years. The contract went out to Bonanno hitman Tommy “Karate” Pitera who gunned down Johnson on August 29, 1988 as Willie Boy was leaving his house to go to work. 

Andrei Katz

DeMeo Crew Associate

First Victim of “The Gemini Method”

The killing of Andrei Katz in 1975 was one of the most savage murders in mafia history. Andrei had been doing stolen car business with the DeMeo Crew before a deal went bad. Things quickly went downhill and Katz decided to cooperate. He was abducted by the crew, brought to a Pantry Pride and cut to pieces. It was the first time of many that Roy and his crew dismembered their murder victim. 

Louie Milito

Killed by Sammy Gravano’s crew on March 8, 1988

After more than a decade of being Sammy Gravano’s best friend and top shooter, Milito was upset about Gravano naming someone else as capo of his crew that he left after the Castellano hit. Gravano let Louie’s complaining slide but John Gotti saw Louie as a Castellano loyalist and ordered his death. Sammy’s crew lured him to a meeting where he was shot in the back of the head and killed on March 8, 1988. 

Anthony “Tony” Mirra

Bonanno Family Captain

Tonny was Joe Pistone’s first high level contact in the Bonanno Family as Donnie Brasco. He describes Mirra as the most intimidating gangster he ever met on the streets. When Pistone switched to Lefty Ruggiero, Mirra was outraged. After the Donnie Brasco operation was exposed, Mirra was killed on February 18, 1982 by two of his own cousins who were given a contract on him. 

Dominick “Sonny Black” Napolitano

Bonanno Family Captain

Sonny Black knew he was about to be killed. He had been outsmarted by his good friend Donnie Brasco and even held no ill will toward Pistone. After the news of Pistone’s status came out, Sunny was called in for a meeting on August 17, 1981. Sonny left his jewelry and some belongings with a friend knowing he wasn’t coming back, and he didn’t. Joe Massino was later charged and convicted in connection with Sonny’s murder. 

Abe “Kid Twist” Reles

Murder Inc. Hitman Turned Witness

The death of Abe Reles came via falling 6 stories out of his Coney Island hotel window on November 12, 1941. Abe had turned canary on his Murder Inc. crew and helped to put 7 of them in the electric chair. He was under 24/7 police guard and was soon to testify against Albert Anastasia when he mysteriously became “The Canary Who Could Sing But Couldn’t Fly”.

Vladimir Reznikov

Brighton Beach Russian Mobster

Reznikov was a vicious Russian mobster who was attempting to muscle in on the lucrative Lucchese Family gas scam. Gaspipe called in two notorious hitmen, Joey Testa and Anthony Senter to kill Reznikov and send a message to any rogue gangsters who dared to test the mafia. Reznikov was shot and killed by Testa on June 13, 1986 while trying to collect an extortion payment.

Arnold Schuster

Clothing Salesman 

Schuster was not a mobster, he was merely a guy who happened to spot wanted bank robber Willie Sutton. After going on TV, he caught the attention of Albert Anastasia who had him killed on March 8, 1952, even having both of Schuster’s eyes shot out. This murder caused a public uproar. It also upset the rest of the mafia and would eventually contribute to Anastasia’s murder. 

Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel 

Bugs & Meyer Mob Co-Boss

He was one part of the Bugs and Meyer Gang with his partner Mayer Lansky. Bugsy’s downfall came when he was sent out to Las Vegas to run the newly formed Flamingo Hotel at the mafia’s behest. The experiment was a massive failure and even Lansky eventually agreed that Bugsy must go. He was killed at his girlfriend Virginia Hills’ home on June 20, 1947. 

Johnny “Keys” Simone

Bruno Family Captain (Philadelphia Family)  

Sammy Gravano recently told the story of the Johnny Keys hit on his new podcast. Keys  took part in the unsanctioned hit on boss Angelo Bruno. The orders came down from the commission. Sammy recounted that Keys died as a man’s man. Keys asked to be killed with his shoes off as a symbolic gesture to his wife. He always told her he’d die with them off.

Mickey Spillane

Killed by Roy DeMeo and Danny Grillo 

Spillane was the longtime leader of the west side Irish mafia in Manhattan. Gambino hitman Roy DeMeo killed Spillane outside his home on May 13, 1977. Roy was killing two birds with one stone. The Italians wanted Spillane dead and so did Spillane’s predecessor Jimmy Coonan. The Westies would become aligned with the Gambinos and Roy DeMeo became a made man as a result. 

Tony “The Ant” Spilotro 

Chicago Outfit Soldier & Las Vegas Representative

Played by Joe Pesci in Casino, Tony was one of the most notorious mob hitmen ever. The Outfit had sent him to Las Vegas to oversee their skimming operations. He became a high profile presence there and brought them heat instead. He and his brother Michael were lured to a basement on June 14, 1986 where they were brutally beaten to death with baseball bats. 

Charles “Ruby” Stein

Killed by Jimmy Coonan and the Westies 

The killing of loanshark Ruby Stein was a power play by Jimmy Coonan and the Westies. Stein, who was an old timer with connections to the Genovese Family was lured to Jimmy’s 596 Club where he was shot, killed and then dismembered and dumped in the Hudson River. The Italians knew the Westies were involved but the incident actually led to the Westies aligning with the Gambinos.

Patrick “Patty” Testa

Lucchese Family Soldier

Patty started out as an associate of the DeMeo Crew, in the Gambino Family. LIke his brother Joey, he switched to the Luccheses after DeMeo’s murder, which took place at his garage. Patty would also be killed in that garage in 1992. No one has ever been charged with his murder, but the main suspect was Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso. 

Phil “Chicken Man” Testa 

Bruno Family Boss (Philadelphia Family)

Occasionally in the past, the mafia has used bombs and this was the case for Testa on March 15, 1981. The newly crowned boss of the Philly mafia was killed instantly and blown to pieces outside of his home. This was only a year after the Angelo Bruno murder and it escalated the war for family power, which would eventually be won by Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo. 

Salvatore “Salvie” Testa 

Bruno Family Captain

Salvie was the son of Phil Testa and an up and coming star in the family in the 1980s. He was referred to in the press as the “The Crowned Prince of the Philadelphia Mob”. Nicky Scarfo became very paranoid and even jealous about Salvie. Salvie’s friends under Scarpa’s orders set him up on September 14, 1984. His dead body was left wrapped up and on the side of the road in New Jersey.