The Mob History Story of the Killing of the 3 Bonanno Capos Sonny Red, Big Trin & Philly Lucky.
Mob Talk Social Club presents the Mob History Story of the Killing of the 3 Bonanno Capos. Alphonse “Sonny Red” Indelicato, Dominick “Big Trin” Trinchera, and Philip “Philly Lucky” Giaccone.
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The killing of the three Bonanno capos on May 5, 1981, was a planned ambush during a struggle for control of the Bonanno crime family. The victims were Alphonse “Sonny Red” Indelicato, Dominick “Big Trin” Trinchera, and Philip “Philly Lucky” Giaccone—three captains viewed by Joseph Massino’s faction as threats to imprisoned boss Philip “Rusty” Rastelli. Why were they targeted? According to federal prosecutors’ account, the three captains represented a rival faction believed to be preparing to seize control. Massino supported Rastelli and worked with the family’s Sicilian faction, led by Salvatore Catalano. The government’s account describes a more complicated situation than a simple order from the Mafia Commission: the Commission initially instructed the Bonannos to avoid violence. After Massino learned that the rival faction was gathering weapons, he approached Gambino boss Paul Castellano, who gave him permission to protect himself. The meeting was a trap The three captains were invited to a Brooklyn club, generally identified as the 20/20 Night Club, supposedly to settle their differences. Instead, armed men were waiting in hiding. Accounts based on later testimony describe George Sciascia giving a prearranged signal by running his hand through his hair. The concealed gunmen emerged, and Vito Rizzuto reportedly announced a holdup to confuse the victims. The captains were then shot. Massino helped organize the ambush and physically attacked Giaccone during it. Although accounts differ on some details of the shooting, the meeting’s purpose was to eliminate all three rivals together. Who was involved? The prosecution identified Massino as the organizer, with participation by Salvatore “Handsome Sal” Vitale, Vito Rizzuto, and other members or associates of the Bonanno factions supporting Rastelli. Vitale later admitted his involvement and testified about the preparations, killings, and aftermath. His testimony helped secure Massino’s convictions for all three murders. What happened to the bodies? The bodies were taken to a burial site near the Brooklyn–Queens border known as “The Hole.” Indelicato’s remains were found within weeks. Trinchera and Giaccone remained missing for more than two decades; their remains were recovered during a 2004 excavation. Sonny Red’s son was also marked for death Afterward, Massino’s faction searched for Anthony “Bruno” Indelicato, fearing he would avenge his father. Prosecutors later stated that the authorization to kill Bruno lasted thirty days. He survived, and eventually returned to the family. The consequences lasted decades The murders removed three powerful opponents of Rastelli and strengthened Massino’s position, helping clear his eventual path to leadership. But the killings later became part of the federal case against him. Massino was convicted in 2004, and Rizzuto pleaded guilty in 2007 to racketeering conspiracy encompassing the three murders, receiving a ten-year prison sentence. One distinction matters: these murders happened before Donnie Brasco was exposed as FBI agent Joseph Pistone in July 1981. They arose from the family’s internal power struggle. Dominick “Sonny Black” Napolitano’s murder later that year was a separate killing.
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