by JCB1977 » Fri Feb 16, 2018 1:31 pm
12 years later, Pike's murder mystery came to light in the highly publicized trial of Wheeling, WV Crime Boss Paul Hankish.
Hankish helped arrange killing, witness testifies (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
Crime boss, 10 defendants on trial By Lynda Guydon Taylor Post-Gazette Post-Gazette Post-Gazette Start Writer WHEELING, W.Va. -
Convicted murderer Robert "Codfish" Bricker was hired to kill a Uniontown racketeer because he tried to muscle in on a sports betting operation controlled by Wheeling crime boss Paul Hankish, a witness testified in federal court yesterday. "It came to a point where something had to be done or we would be out of business," said Gerald "Snookie" Walls, 42, a former Fayette County racketeer. Walls testified in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia in a multifaceted criminal case involving 11 defendants. Walls, whose testimony concerned the 1978 contract murder of Melvin Pike, was the first major witness to take the stand for the government in the trial of Paul "No Legs" Hankish, 58, of Wheeling. Hankish, who was crippled in a 1964 car bombing, has been charged along with 10 co-defendants in a 192-page indictment. He is on trial on charges of racketeering in drugs and gambling, conspiracy to commit murder, trafficking in stolen property, forgery, mail fraud, extortion, firearms violations and failure to pay more than $100,000 in taxes to the IRS for money earned from an illegal gambling business. In addition to Walls, another major witness' yesterday was William "Eggy" Prosdocimo, 39, formerly of Greenfield, who is serving a life sentence for two 1979 murders. In addition, he is awaiting extradition to Florida, where he faces murder charges in Miami for a killing during a drug theft. During nine years in jail while awaiting trial and after his convictions, Prosdocimo admitted to being a drug dealer but has steadfastly maintained his innocence in any murder plots. Several months ago, he was removed from the State Correctional Institution at Pittsburgh by federal officials after he approached investigators with knowledge of Hankish's activities. Prosdocimo has not been guaranteed any specific deal in exchange for his testimony. Walls, who has been convicted of murder twice and of counterfeiting and cocaine distribution, became a government informant in 1981 in exchange for a 20-year federal prison prison sentence. He eventually testified against Prosdocimo, Bricker and four others who were convicted in a series of gangland-style executions around Pittsburgh during the late 1970's. All of them were convicted and Walls was released from prison in 1987 after serving almost seven years. His release was contingent upon his continued cooperation with state and federal authorities. During several hours on the stand yesterday. Walls described how he became involved with Hankish's gambling operation. Walls said after he and his wife Diane opened the Tavern House Lounge in Uniontown, he began taking bets on football games for Hankish. The size of the bets ranged from $1,500 to $2,000 a game. Walls testified. He said after placing his bets, he would deliver the money to Wheeling. He testified the business became so successful that it attracted attention throughout Uniontown, especially Pike's attention. Walls said he had known Pike all his life, describing him as a "tough guy," or enforcer. "Melvin Pike wanted information ... anytime someone is making a move he puts his thumb on it. He wants a piece of it," Walls testified. Two meetings followed, one in Washington County and another at Hankish's home during which Hankish, Walls and another man discussed discussed what to do about Pike. Hankish decided that Pike had to be killed, Walls said. Hankish also wanted Pike killed because he operated an extortion business in Fayette County, Walls testified. Walls called Pike "his role model" and said he didn't really want him killed. Walls said his reluctance to kill Pike led to an abortive attempt on his own life, but instead of him, his friend, Gary "Stretch" DeStefano, was killed. Finally, however, it was decided that Bricker was to be paid $5,000 to do the job, Wall testified. In April, 1978, Bricker went to the gymnastics class of Pike's daughter Mattie, where he carried out the killing. Pike was killed while his then 10-year-old daughter watched. Walls testified he left Uniontown for Florida about a week after Pike's murder. Prosdocimo's testimony concerned DeStefano's murder. He said that he unwittingly became involved when Bricker and two other men approached him about setting up a drug deal with Walls. Prosdocimo said the three wanted him to buy marijuana and Quaaludes from Walls. At first, Prosdocimo said, he thought the three wanted to rob Walls of the drugs, but later it became clear they wanted to murder Walls. Prosdocimo testified he arranged to buy 500 pounds of marijuana and 100,000 Quaaludes from Walls, who would bring the drugs from Florida. Prosdocimo testified Walls was to come to Prosdocimo's home, where Bricker and Charles "Monster" Kellington would wait inside to kill Walls. But when Walls arrived at Prosdocimo's home, Prosdocimo did not have the money for the drugs and Walls refused to go inside, Prosdocimo testified. The plans quickly changed to kill Walls at a Market Square bar, where Walls said he was headed. It was there that DeStefano was gunned down.
Staff writer Bill Moushey contributed contributed to this report.
12 years later, Pike's murder mystery came to light in the highly publicized trial of Wheeling, WV Crime Boss Paul Hankish.
Hankish helped arrange killing, witness testifies (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
Crime boss, 10 defendants on trial By Lynda Guydon Taylor Post-Gazette Post-Gazette Post-Gazette Start Writer WHEELING, W.Va. -
Convicted murderer Robert "Codfish" Bricker was hired to kill a Uniontown racketeer because he tried to muscle in on a sports betting operation controlled by Wheeling crime boss Paul Hankish, a witness testified in federal court yesterday. "It came to a point where something had to be done or we would be out of business," said Gerald "Snookie" Walls, 42, a former Fayette County racketeer. Walls testified in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia in a multifaceted criminal case involving 11 defendants. Walls, whose testimony concerned the 1978 contract murder of Melvin Pike, was the first major witness to take the stand for the government in the trial of Paul "No Legs" Hankish, 58, of Wheeling. Hankish, who was crippled in a 1964 car bombing, has been charged along with 10 co-defendants in a 192-page indictment. He is on trial on charges of racketeering in drugs and gambling, conspiracy to commit murder, trafficking in stolen property, forgery, mail fraud, extortion, firearms violations and failure to pay more than $100,000 in taxes to the IRS for money earned from an illegal gambling business. In addition to Walls, another major witness' yesterday was William "Eggy" Prosdocimo, 39, formerly of Greenfield, who is serving a life sentence for two 1979 murders. In addition, he is awaiting extradition to Florida, where he faces murder charges in Miami for a killing during a drug theft. During nine years in jail while awaiting trial and after his convictions, Prosdocimo admitted to being a drug dealer but has steadfastly maintained his innocence in any murder plots. Several months ago, he was removed from the State Correctional Institution at Pittsburgh by federal officials after he approached investigators with knowledge of Hankish's activities. Prosdocimo has not been guaranteed any specific deal in exchange for his testimony. Walls, who has been convicted of murder twice and of counterfeiting and cocaine distribution, became a government informant in 1981 in exchange for a 20-year federal prison prison sentence. He eventually testified against Prosdocimo, Bricker and four others who were convicted in a series of gangland-style executions around Pittsburgh during the late 1970's. All of them were convicted and Walls was released from prison in 1987 after serving almost seven years. His release was contingent upon his continued cooperation with state and federal authorities. During several hours on the stand yesterday. Walls described how he became involved with Hankish's gambling operation. Walls said after he and his wife Diane opened the Tavern House Lounge in Uniontown, he began taking bets on football games for Hankish. The size of the bets ranged from $1,500 to $2,000 a game. Walls testified. He said after placing his bets, he would deliver the money to Wheeling. He testified the business became so successful that it attracted attention throughout Uniontown, especially Pike's attention. Walls said he had known Pike all his life, describing him as a "tough guy," or enforcer. "Melvin Pike wanted information ... anytime someone is making a move he puts his thumb on it. He wants a piece of it," Walls testified. Two meetings followed, one in Washington County and another at Hankish's home during which Hankish, Walls and another man discussed discussed what to do about Pike. Hankish decided that Pike had to be killed, Walls said. Hankish also wanted Pike killed because he operated an extortion business in Fayette County, Walls testified. Walls called Pike "his role model" and said he didn't really want him killed. Walls said his reluctance to kill Pike led to an abortive attempt on his own life, but instead of him, his friend, Gary "Stretch" DeStefano, was killed. Finally, however, it was decided that Bricker was to be paid $5,000 to do the job, Wall testified. In April, 1978, Bricker went to the gymnastics class of Pike's daughter Mattie, where he carried out the killing. Pike was killed while his then 10-year-old daughter watched. Walls testified he left Uniontown for Florida about a week after Pike's murder. Prosdocimo's testimony concerned DeStefano's murder. He said that he unwittingly became involved when Bricker and two other men approached him about setting up a drug deal with Walls. Prosdocimo said the three wanted him to buy marijuana and Quaaludes from Walls. At first, Prosdocimo said, he thought the three wanted to rob Walls of the drugs, but later it became clear they wanted to murder Walls. Prosdocimo testified he arranged to buy 500 pounds of marijuana and 100,000 Quaaludes from Walls, who would bring the drugs from Florida. Prosdocimo testified Walls was to come to Prosdocimo's home, where Bricker and Charles "Monster" Kellington would wait inside to kill Walls. But when Walls arrived at Prosdocimo's home, Prosdocimo did not have the money for the drugs and Walls refused to go inside, Prosdocimo testified. The plans quickly changed to kill Walls at a Market Square bar, where Walls said he was headed. It was there that DeStefano was gunned down.
Staff writer Bill Moushey contributed contributed to this report.