POLICE STILL HUNT FOR MOTIVE IN DONOVAN INQUIRY KILLING
By Selwyn Raab
Aug. 28, 1982
Credit...The New York Times Archives
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New York City detectives and Federal agents said yesterday that they had uncovered few clues and were still seeking a motive in the murder of Nat Masselli, the son of an organized-crime figure.
Kenneth Walton, an official of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said ''it is too soon to tell'' whether Mr. Masselli was slain Wednesday night in the Bronx because he and his father, William P. Masselli, were involved in a Federal inquiry of Secretary of Labor Raymond J. Donovan.
Police and Federal officials said that business acquaintances and friends of the 31-year-old homicide victim were questioned yesterday as investigators tried to piece together Mr. Masselli's last hours - and whom he had been with.
Mr. Masselli was killed - with a single .38-caliber bullet in the back of the head - shortly after his father had been brought here from a Federal prison in Ray Brook, N.Y. Law enforcement officials said William Masselli, who has been identified as a member of the Genovese crime group, is scheduled to testify in a new phase of an investigation of allegations against Mr. Donovan.
Inquiry on Donovan Renewed
Leon Silverman, a special Federal prosecutor, is looking into allegations that Mr. Donovan, while a construction company executive, had business dealings with organized-crime figures and accepted payoffs. In July, Mr. Silverman reported that after a sixmonth investigation there was ''insufficient evidence'' to warrant prosecution of Mr. Donovan. However, Mr. Silverman later said he had resumed the inquiry because of new accusations.
William Masselli, 55, and his son had both testified in the earlier phase of Mr. Silverman's investigation. Mr. Walton, of the F.B.I., said Nat Masselli had not been expected to be a witness in the renewed inquiry by the special prosecutor.
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A Florida organized-crime figure has also been brought from prison to New York for questioning about a purported meeting that Mr. Donovan had with mobsters in January 1979 in Florida.
The reputed mobster from Miami, Albert Facchiano, 71, is a new witness. He was sentenced last year to a 20-year-term at a Federal prison in Alabama for racketeering. Allegations Denied by Donovan
Mr. Silverman refused to comment about the inquiry or Mr. Facchiano's role in it. But a Federal law enforcement official said Mr. Facchiano had been brought to New York to testify before a Federal grand jury, along with William Masselli.
Mr. Donovan has repeatedly denied having met with known criminals or having been involved in illegal payments to them in connection with construction work while he was a vice president of the Schiavone Construction Company in Secaucus, N.J.
Nat Masselli, who was single, lived alone in a two-bedroom apartment at 1 Fountain Lane in Greenburgh in Westchester County. Law enforcement officials said the younger Masselli was not believed to be a ''made member'' of any organized-crime group and had no record of arrests.
But, a detective participating in the investigation said Nat Masselli was believed to have been deeply involved in his father's business affairs and thus may have been in contact with mobsters. William Masselli was sentenced last year to a seven-year prison term after being convicted of Federal charges of hijacking and narcotics violations. Headed Construction Company
William Masselli was the president of Jopel Construction and Trucking Company, which had subcontracts with the Schiavone Company, Mr. Donovan's former concern. Nat Masselli was the secretarytreasurer of Jopel, and State Senator Joseph L. Galiber of the Bronx was the vice president and major stockholder in Jopel.
Detectives said Nat Masselli had assumed control of his father's business affairs after his father's conviction. Police officials said yesterday they planned to question Senator Galiber in the murder investigation. In an interview yesterday, the 57-year-old Senator said '' I am available'' for any questioning.
Senator Galiber said he had last seen Nat Masselli in March. He described him as ''a hard-working guy'' who took care of the books and served as a field manager for the Jopel Company. The company was incorporated by Senator Galiber and William Masselli in 1976. Senator Galiber said he had ''no knowledge then or now'' of any involvement by William Masselli in organized crime