Scotty Spinuzzi's uncle Santo, Colorado member?

[JoePuzzles234]

I was looking into Joseph “Scotty” Spinuzzi and came across some interesting information about what seems to his paternal uncle, Santo Giuseppe Spinuzzi aka Sam.

Santo Spinuzzi (nee Spinuzza);
DOB: 03/19/1862 (Alia, Palermo)
DOD: 08/04/1946 (Pueblo)

He has children born in Louisiana, so probably entry through New Orleans.

I first came across a Santo Spinuzzi when looking into an FBN-listed alias for Scotty, “Joe Marco.” A March 1935 arrest here as Giuseppe Marco, matches with the FBN who cite a previous arrest for receiving stolen property:

joe spinuzzi 1935 arrest.jpg

While not identified as Scotty’s uncle in the reporting, Santo Giuseppe can be fairly reliably identified as someone involved in crime via a September 1930 bootlegging indictment:

spinuzzi 1930 dry raid.jpg

Mary Spinuzzi is likely Maria Antonina Leone (apparently also from Alia), wife of Santo. The Louis Spinuzzi is probably their son of the same name (02/15/1912-12/29/1985). S. Spinuzzi would probably then be Santo.

Following the March 1935 bust, that Santo Spinuzzi is indicted for witness intimidation in late April and is then described as a “wealthy beer baron” in Pueblo. No age is given in the article.

Of further interest are two 1928 articles concerning a murder attempt against Salvatore D’Anna and apparent plots also targeting a Sam Spinuzzi. This person is described as a D’Anna cousin (refuted by Spinuzzi in a subsequent article) and the operator of a plumbing shop in Pueblo. In September 1931, there is an article about the incorporation of a plumbing business with a Sam, Josephine & Tony Spinuzzi:

spinuzzi plumbing.jpg

Scotty’s brother Anthony “Turk” later operated a plumbing company that employed family boss Vincenzo Colletti in the 1950s. While unconfirmed, the Tony Spinuzzi from 1931 may then be Turk and Josephine Spinuzzi may be his mother, Giuseppina DiGioia aka Josephine DeJoy.

Overall, it seems likely that this Sam/Santo Spinuzzi is identical to Santo Giuseppe.

We learn later from Bompensiero that Scotty Spinuzzi is inducted around 1936, possibly alongside Charles Blanda whose family also hails from Alia, Palermo. Notably, unlike Blanda, Tom Incerto, the Smaldones etc. etc., Scotty isn’t discernibly involved in the Carlino-D’Anna disputes or violence with Joseph Roma.

Perhaps his uncle was someone of prominent standing in Pueblo and this connection then helps to facilitate membership as the family calms down after Roma’s murder?

[B.]

Good discovery. Spinuzzi's relatively early entry into the Family and the involvement of this uncle in underworld activity would def lend itself to the possibility that he was a member as well.

[JoePuzzles234]

Good discovery. Spinuzzi's relatively early entry into the Family and the involvement of this uncle in underworld activity would def lend itself to the possibility that he was a member as well.

Was looking at some old newspaper clippings again now and saw that a Josephine Parlapiano was arrested for perjury in connection to the April 1935 witness intimidation investigations into Santo Spinuzzi. Her mother-in-law had been arrested on Prohibition violation charges and she testified that "she did not know her."

She was born Josephine Mulay, the daughter of murdered Colorado member Giovanni Mulè (John Mulay). She married a Carl Parlapiano (1860-1942), son of Pietro Antonio Parlapiano and Jennie Desaro. Pietro Antonio's mother was a Caterina Cascio from Lucca Sicula and he was a relative of the more famous Calogero Parlapiano - Pietro's grandfather, Giuseppe Parlapiano and Calogero's grandfather Vito were brothers per FamilySearch trees.