Gravano on the murders of Frank Stillitano and John Simone

[chin_gigante]

I’ve been listening to an audiobook of Underboss by Peter Maas today and found the chapter describing Gravano’s involvement in the murders of Frank Stillitano and John Simone very interesting. While there is at least one important inaccuracy, the description of the motive behind Simone’s murder I found particularly interesting. It aligns much more with the George Fresolone account than the version told by Phil Leonetti that Simone had been killed for his supposed involvement in the murder of Angelo Bruno.

Gravano and Maas on the situation in Philadelphia in general:

- Carlo Gambino and Angelo Bruno had been very close, with the Philadelphia vote on the Commission often aligning with and being sent in by the Gambino family
- Paul Castellano continued this relationship, being observed dining with Bruno in New York and Philadelphia
- The Genovese family was interested in the lucrative construction rackets in Atlantic City
- The Genovese family manipulated Antonio Caponigro into murdering Bruno
- A Commission meeting was called after Bruno’s murder and the Genovese family volunteered to find the killer
- The Genovese family then ‘sacrificed’ Caponigro
- Peter Maas incorrectly states that John Simone emerged as a threat to the new leadership in Philadelphia after Philip Testa was blown up (in reality, Testa was killed after Simone)

On the Frank Stillitano murder:

- Salvatore Aurello asked Gravano to accompany him to a meeting at Paul Castellano’s house in Staten Island
- Nicholas Russo and Joseph ‘Pal Joey’ Farinella, two members of Aurello’s crew operating in Trenton were also at the meeting
- Russo’s son had been killed in a dispute by Frank Stillitano, the leader of another gang
- Nicholas Russo had found Stillitano alone in a car and shot at him in revenge but missed
- Stillitano shot back and hit Russo in the leg but his gun jammed before he could finish him off
- Stillitano tried to beat Russo to death with the gun, but Russo got another shot off and hit Stillitano in the stomach
- At the meeting in Staten Island, Castellano allowed Gravano to choose anyone he wanted to go to New Jersey and help Russo and Farinella kill Stillitano and any members of his gang who got in the way
- Knowing Stillitano had been shot, Gravano checked all of the Philadelphia area hospitals to try and track him down, but no records existed
- Stillitano had instead been taken to an undertaker who removed the bullet
- Some members of the Philadelphia family had been hanging out with Stillitano and took him to the undertaker
- Not wanting to risk accidentally killing a wiseguy who happened to be around Stillitano, Gravano reported back to Castellano
- Castellano told Gravano to contact Nicodemo Scarfo about the situation
- Scarfo then volunteered to handle the Stillitano contract
- Stillitano was eventually killed by the Philadelphia family in 1981
- Russo wanted either a young son or brother of Stillitano’s also killed (citing how things were done in the old country) but Gravano refused to do so
- Castellano also refused this additional request from Russo

On the John Simone murder:

- Gravano visited Castellano another time to discuss construction rackets
- Castellano was embarrassed because Scarfo was protesting that John Simone had been seen associating with Russo and Farinella in New Jersey
- The Commission had already decided to support the new leadership of Scarfo (and Testa) but now Scarfo assumed the Gambinos were secretly backing Simone to take over
- The Commission then ordered that Simone should be killed and the contract was given to the Gambino family
- Castellano had Aurello and Gravano take Russo to Staten Island
- Russo convinced Castellano that the meeting with Simone was purely social due to their long-time friendship
- Simone had reached out to the boss of Cleveland (described as an old friend) for support, but Cleveland betrayed him and reported it to the Commission
- Cleveland was then instructed to tell Simone that Castellano was interested in backing him
- Castellano gave the contract to Gravano and told him to use Liborio ‘Louie’ Milito and anyone else he wanted
- Gravano decided that he would use Joseph ‘Stymie’ D’Angelo
- Russo would go back to Simone and report the news about Cleveland and the Gambinos
- Russo, citing his age, memory and physical condition (after his confrontation with Stillitano) told Simone that Castellano was sending Gravano as a younger and more able intermediary to handle the negotiations
- In a bid to prove his innocence, Russo was eager to have the hit done right away
- Russo and Farinella met frequently with Simone at an ice cream place called Friendly’s in South Jersey and always sat at the same booth in the back
- Russo wanted Gravano and Milito (who would be unknown to Simone) waiting at different booths, with Gravano near the door
- When Simone entered, Russo and Farinella would wave to him, giving Gravano the signal to shoot him
- Milito would then take out a shotgun and fire it into the ceiling to make sure everyone stayed on the floor while he and Gravano got into a waiting car
- Gravano scoped out Friendly’s and called off the plan, citing how busy it was and how many children were there
- Gravano then first met with Simone at a luncheonette in the Trenton area
- Simone arrived with bodyguards who stayed outside, frisked Gravano and apologised for being armed, showing Gravano his gun while citing the ‘war’ going on
- Gravano had no intent of hitting Simone at that first meeting so he was unarmed
- Simone explained the situation in Philadelphia to Gravano and made it clear he wanted Castellano’s help in taking over
- Gravano arranged a second meeting to take place (citing the need to relay his messages to Castellano) so he could lure Simone into a sense of security
- The second meeting was at a public bar and restaurant in New Jersey and Simone followed the same security procedure, including by leaving bodyguards outside
- Gravano lied that Castellano was backing Simone and would provide money, guns, Gambino shooters and Commission approval once Scarfo was dead
- Gravano wanted to arrange another meeting so that Castellano could meet Simone in person to confirm what Gravano said
- Simone suggested using a country club in Yardville for the meeting where nobody would recognise Castellano
- Russo was against the country club, citing security staff and how public it was
- Russo took Gravano to the club, but Gravano disagreed with his assessment
- Gravano contacted Simone and told him the meeting was on but that, because the meeting was with Castellano, he couldn’t bring any bodyguards
- Gravano, Russo and Farinella met Simone in Yardville before driving to the club
- Simone was still armed but alone and frisked everyone before getting into the car
- Farinella drove them to the club with Gravano also up front and Russo and Simone in the back
- A van containing Milito and D’Angelo was parked between the entrance of the club and Farinella’s parking space
- Gravano had hidden a gun under the front passenger seat of the car but didn’t have a chance to grab it before getting out
- Farinella and Russo walked in front while Gravano and Simone walked behind them
- Simone was still holding onto his gun and noticed that the van’s engine was running
- Gravano charged and trapped Simone in a bear hug
- Milito and D’Angelo got out of the van and grabbed Simone’s legs, carrying him into the van
- A few people noticed the commotion, but it was over to quickly to figure out what was happening
- Milito got into the driver’s seat and Farinella sat up front as well
- Gravano held Simone down while D’Angelo got the gun out of his hand
- Milito took off while Gravano and D’Angelo tied Simone up
- Russo was left behind to drive away the car that had been used to drive Simone to the club, however Farinella realised he still had the keys in his jacket pocket
- They let Farinella out and told him to go back to the club to get the car before going to Russo’s home to await a call from Gravano
- The original plan was to kill Simone near the country club, but Gravano didn’t want to risk it until he knew Russo and Farinella got the car out safe
- As Gravano’s gun was still in the car and the kidnapping had been noticed, if Russo and Farinella were arrested and Simone was found dead they would be charged with murder
- Gravano instead decided to head back to Staten Island to wait
- While on the ride, Simone started having a seizure and begged for Gravano to give him one of the pills he had in his jacket pocket so that he wouldn’t die of a heart attack
- Gravano also noted that Simone could have attempted to save himself by causing a commotion at the toll plaza but didn’t
- They drove to a gas station owned by some guys who were with Milito and waited there for around 10 or 12 hours while Gravano tried to get in touch with Russo
- If Russo and Farinella were arrested, Gravano would go to Castellano and ask what he wanted to do with Simone under that circumstance
- Everytime Gravano went out to call Russo’s house, he told Simone there was a Commission meeting going on to decide his fate and he (Gravano) was calling there to see if a verdict had been reached
- While they were waiting Simone ranted about the Genovese family and blamed them for the turmoil in Philadelphia
- Simone said he knew that Vincent Gigante had conned Caponigro and then conned the Commission
- Simone asked that a made member kill him if the Commission decide that he should die
- Simone had also promised himself and his wife that if he were ever to die, he would die with his shoes off
- Gravano sent Milito and D’Angelo out for food and coffee and Simone requested that they hold the sugar
- At one point, Gravano heard a noise outside and drew his gun, worrying that it might be a cop
- Simone asked that, if it was a cop, Gravano shoot the cop first and then him (Simone)
- The noise was actually just Milito and D’Angelo returning
- While Gravano was out calling Russo’s house one time, Simone told Milito and D’Angelo that Gravano had done a good job in arranging the hit and that he (Simone) had been responsible for about 50 hits himself
- When Gravano eventually got in touch with Russo and Farinella he told them to come to Staten Island
- Once they arrived in Staten Island, Russo and Farinella explained that there was confusion at the country club but they made it out safely
- Gravano then told Simone that the Commission had ruled against him
- Simone accepted the news without comment
- They drove to a wooded area of Staten Island and Gravano took off Simone’s shoes
- Simone kicked Farinella in the chest when he tried dragging him out of the van
- Simone walked out of the van of his own accord, took about five steps and lowered his head
- Milito, by this point a member (also in keeping with Simone’s wishes) put a gun to the back of Simone’s head and shot him
- Gravano sent Russo and Farinella back to New Jersey while he, Milito and D’Angelo left in the van
- Gravano went to see Castellano the next morning to explain what had happened and why they killed Simone in Staten Island
- Gravano claimed that he would never be proud of that hit because Simone was Cosa Nostra through and through

[SonnyBlackstein]

Great post chin

[Hailbritain]

Absolutely awesome post

[baldo]

Great stuff. I just bought a house about two minutes from that country club (it’s actually in Robbinsville not Yardville). I’ve heard plenty about Russo but not much about Farinella. Would love more info about him.

[JMAN723]

If Gravano ever does the podcast I hope he talks more about Johnny Keys. It was probably my favorite part of his book.

[Angelo Santino]

I've always been curious about his passage towards the end regarding his plot with Frank LoCascio to kill Gotti after Gotti insulted LoCascio in prison. The book included a dialogue where Loc states if they get out of jail that he wants to bring him to the party and be the shooter. Several years later a gangland article came out that Gotti reached out to the AB for a murder contract on Loc due to that passage.

1 Gravano had to have known what he was doing when he included that. Why if he didn't have a problem with him he wanted to settle post-LCN?
2 Quite unprofessional of Maas to have included that, he should have known that such a passage would have real world implications.

[dave]

If Gravano ever does the podcast I hope he talks more about Johnny Keys. It was probably my favorite part of his book.

He made a YouTube page at one point, but took it down recently. His last Facebook post on August 26th says follow his Instagram for updates on the podcast:

https://m.facebook.com/salvatore.gravano.thebull

[B.]

Def one of the best parts of Gravano's book, I agree, and adds insight into Simone's role (or non-role) in the Bruno murder and aftermath.

One interesting twist of fate:

- In 1967, Gambino soldier John Rizzo and his associate Louie Milito were arrested in Philadelphia for breaking into telephone booths. After being detained, Rizzo dropped the names of both Angelo Bruno and John Simone to Philadelphia LE officers, seemingly in an attempt to curry favor (maybe he assumed Bruno and Simone had paid off LE in the area?). There is no reason to believe Milito ever knew Simone (as Gravano says), but it's odd to think Rizzo tried to use Simone's name during his and Milito's Philly arrest and Milito would later be the one to kill Simone.