THE BLACK HAND FORUM

Another great post JD, thanks.......Soliai

B. wrote:
I had Phil Rastelli as a soldier under Galante in the 1950s, but not sure that's right. Seems more likely he was with the Morale/D'Angelo crew. Do you or JD know for sure?

I really don´t know. He could have very well have been under one of the more unknown captains like John Aquaro or Dominick Sabella. Another possibility is Frank laBruzzo. Perhaps JD knows?

HairyKnuckles wrote:

B. wrote:
Any clue why Capasio and Marty Rastelli were never made? Also any confirmation on Carmine Rastelli's membership status? He shows up on a chart or two as a member but I'm not sure. Was also wondering if he had a history with boxing, as there is a very old Carmine Rastelli affiliated with the NY Boxing Hall of Fame and featured here: http://www.ring8ny.com/?paged=13

I´ve seen Marty Rastelli listed as made in a couple of LE charts, but not Carmine. But LE charts are known to be inaccurate sometimes, so who knows? Rusty had three brothers; Marty (Marinello) born in 1916, died in 2002, lived in Middle Village, Queens and later in Ozone Park; Carmine, born in 1921, convicted in 1987 on RICO charges and August born in 1914, died in 1999, lived in Floral Park, Nassau County. It was August´s son Louis who was shot and paralyzed from neck down becuase he got his uncle Rusty indicted back in 1975. What a fate! I think Louis lived with his father until he died in 1995.

Great post JD! Is that the right spelling of his name? No wonder I can´t find any good solid info on him, since I´ve seen his last name being spelled in multiple ways.

I was thinking of the NYPD wall chart, I'm pretty sure. Thinking back, it may have been Marty and not Carmine who is shown as a soldier. That chart, while great to look at, is inaccurate as we know.

I had Phil Rastelli as a soldier under Galante in the 1950s, but not sure that's right. Seems more likely he was with the Morale/D'Angelo crew. Do you or JD know for sure?

JD wrote:they buried him in a parking lot on Arthur Kill Road.

An appropriate spot. Pretty dloppy the way they caried those two hits with so many people being involved.


Good read JD.


Pogo

B. wrote:
Any clue why Capasio and Marty Rastelli were never made? Also any confirmation on Carmine Rastelli's membership status? He shows up on a chart or two as a member but I'm not sure. Was also wondering if he had a history with boxing, as there is a very old Carmine Rastelli affiliated with the NY Boxing Hall of Fame and featured here: http://www.ring8ny.com/?paged=13

I´ve seen Marty Rastelli listed as made in a couple of LE charts, but not Carmine. But LE charts are known to be inaccurate sometimes, so who knows? Rusty had three brothers; Marty (Marinello) born in 1916, died in 2002, lived in Middle Village, Queens and later in Ozone Park; Carmine, born in 1921, convicted in 1987 on RICO charges and August born in 1914, died in 1999, lived in Floral Park, Nassau County. It was August´s son Louis who was shot and paralyzed from neck down becuase he got his uncle Rusty indicted back in 1975. What a fate! I think Louis lived with his father until he died in 1995.

Great post JD! Is that the right spelling of his name? No wonder I can´t find any good solid info on him, since I´ve seen his last name being spelled in multiple ways.

Wasn't it Pitera who shot Infanti in the back of the head a few yrs later as well? I think they killed him in a parking garage?

Great story.

Any clue why Capasio and Marty Rastelli were never made? Also any confirmation on Carmine Rastelli's membership status? He shows up on a chart or two as a member but I'm not sure. Was also wondering if he had a history with boxing, as there is a very old Carmine Rastelli affiliated with the NY Boxing Hall of Fame and featured here: http://www.ring8ny.com/?paged=13

JD this is awesome , great post

Robert 'Bobby C' Capasio comes up now and then but never many of the details. Here's some background on the murder:

Capasio was a long-time associate of Philip Rastelli. He wasn't made but reported direct to the administration, and by 1986 ran a gambling operation out of a social club in Astoria.

In May 1986 Philip Rastelli sent word to Joseph Massino to have Capasio murdered. The exact reason isn't given but it had something to do with Philip's brother Marty.

Salvatore Vitale went to Frank Lino and told him to have his crew get a location for the hit. Lino crew members Robert Lino Sr. (Acting Captain) and Thomas Pitera (Soldier) suggested a rowhouse on 27th Ave in Gravesend. Gabriel Infanti and his crew were in charge of getting the victim to the house.

On May 9, 1986 the group assembled at the location to prepare for the murder. Those present were the Lino cousins, Infanti, Pitera, Joseph D'Amico (Soldier) and Richard Riccardi (Associate). It was crowded and Infanti was acting nervous so Frank Lino took him to a nearby restaurant to wait out the hit.

Capasio was picked up at a Manhattan restaurant owned/operated by Anthony Frascone and driven to the site by Infanti crew member Stephen LoCurto (Associate). LoCurto waited outside. Capasio was let in by Riccardi, entered the kitchen and was shot to death by Pitera. As he walked into the room Capasio 'caught the move', pulled out a gun and almost got a shot off. Lino Sr was standing right in the middle of the two and almost got hit. The body was taken to the bathtub and dismembered by Pitera and others. Charles Travella (Soldier) was present when the body was being cut up.

When Lino and Infanti came back they found out Capasio, who was supposed to be alone when he was picked up in Manhattan, had Joseph Platia at the restaurant with him. Infanti wasn't at the house when LoCurto showed up so he couldn't stop the hit and the group was worried about a witness seeing Capasio leave with one of Infanti's guys. They got in touch with Massino/Vitale and were told to kill the guy in Manhattan, so Infanti, LoCurto and Travella left.

Capasio's remains were transported over to Staten Island and buried in a marsh by Pitera and Riccardi. Afterwards they were dropped off at Just Us Lounge in Gravesend by Lino/D'Amico.

While this was going on Infanti and his guys drove to the area of Frascone's restaurant around 10th Ave and LoCurto killed Joseph Platia. A cab driver went by right as the shooting was taking place and got the attention of a patrol car nearby. Infanti drove from the scene and left LoCurto on foot and he was arrested with the gun.

This mishandling of the Capasio hit is one of the reasons Infanti was murdered later on. Another big reason was his failure to kill Anthony Giliberti in 1982, leading to Massino's conviction on labor racketeering charges in Fall 1986.

LoCurto was acquitted of murder but convicted for gun possession. He served time and was made in the 1990s under Anthony Graziano. After the Bonanno defections he was convicted of the murder and other charges in 2006 and sentenced to life.

After the hit James Tartaglione (Captain) and his associate Generoso Barbieri were given control over Capasio's club in Astoria.

The remains of most of Pitera's known victims were later recovered in LE digs in Staten Island, but Capasio and Infanti were never located.

Photo of Capasio: