St. John Cemetery in Queens, New York, is one of the largest and most imposing burial grounds in the United States. The 169-acre site, established around 1872 and run by the Catholic diocese, is filled with mausoleums, gravestones, and family plots.
It is also known by another name: a kind of boot hill for the mob.
Drive over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway after coming out of the Manhattan tunnel, and you pass directly above it. From the road, the expanse of headstones and mausoleums stretches out below, impossible to miss.
The cemetery holds the remains of bosses, underbosses, captains, and associates from some of the most notorious chapters in American organized crime. Many of them rest a short distance from one another, close in death as they were in life.
One of the oldest figures buried there is Benedetto Salvatore, known as Toto D'Aquila. He came from Sicily around 1906 and was one of the original "Mustache Petes." History records him as perhaps the first boss of the Gambino family, ruling for about ten years until he was murdered. He was shot multiple times, including once in the head and seven times in the chest. His mausoleum is elaborate and ornate.
Nearby is the mausoleum of Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, marked by a stone building flanked by Grecian columns and bearing the family name. Luciano was deported to Italy and tried to return to the United States but could not. He died of a heart attack in Italy at about 64 years old, and his body was transported back to be buried at St. John's. He is widely regarded as the man who formed the Mafia Commission in the United States and as the original godfather of the American mob.
Joe Profaci is also there, resting in a mausoleum. He ruled his family for about 30 years and was known as the "olive oil king." After his death, his underboss took over briefly until the Commission moved him out. Carlo Gambino was part of that shift, and later Joe Colombo became boss.
Vito Genovese, who took over for Luciano, also has an elaborate mausoleum. Genovese clashed with Frank Costello, who had served as acting boss while Luciano was in Italy. Genovese was power-hungry and wanted the top position. There was an assassination attempt on Costello, carried out by Vincent "the Chin" Gigante, but the hit was botched. Costello was shot in the head, yet the bullet only grazed him and he survived. Genovese took over, but was later indicted on a major drug case, received a long sentence, and died in prison. His family name still exists today.
Jimmy "Jimmy Nap" Napoli, from the Greenpoint neighborhood, is buried there as well. He ran a huge gambling operation and was a captain in the family, a well-known and high-profile figure. He was also indicted on a murder conspiracy for trying to kill John Gotti.
John Gotti's site is in a very elaborate building near the center of the cemetery. It draws a steady stream of visitors and tourists, something the cemetery does not particularly welcome, though it allows visitors at certain times.
Carlo Gambino, boss of the Gambino family for more than 20 years and at one point described as boss of bosses, is one of the most infamous people buried at St. John's. He had a better ending than most. He died at home on Long Island at 75 or 76 and served very little prison time. Gambino was the epitome of a low-profile mob boss. The government investigated him numerous times but was never able to convict him. He lived his life quietly, the opposite of flamboyant figures like Al Capone or John Gotti.
Frank Abbandando, known as "the Dasher," was part of Murder Inc., the contract-killing operation responsible, by its own claims, for more than 200 murders. Abbandando was said to have used an ice pick, stabbing victims through the heart. He is buried at St. John's.
Joe Colombo, a boss and a figure the source knew intimately, is also buried there. He was gunned down and lingered for about six or seven years, essentially brain dead, before he passed away.
Johnny Dio, a major union figure active with the Teamsters, is buried there. He was indicted for labor racketeering several times and helped Jimmy Hoffa become boss.
Salvatore Maranzano, one of the original Mustache Petes, is buried at St. John's. He was part of the Castellammarese War against Masseria. Lucky Luciano was responsible for the deaths of both Masseria and Maranzano.
Roy DeMeo, associated with the Gemini Lounge, is buried there. He had a rough reputation and was said to be responsible for several hundred murders, many of which he committed himself. DeMeo also ran chop shops, and on one occasion, two stolen Jaguars were recovered by the end of the day through his operation.
Carmine Fatico, known as "Charlie Wagons" because he liked to hijack transport trucks, was a Gambino figure and an early mentor to John Gotti, along with Neil Dellacroce.
Willie Boy Johnson, an associate rather than a made member, is also buried at St. John's. He was a government informant from about 1965 until the mid-1980s, when he was murdered. According to the account, he became an informant because he did prison time under Carmine Fatico, who was supposed to take care of his wife and children but never did. Willie Boy was killed by Tommy Patera, who was indicted for the murder but acquitted. The source had used Willie Boy to put money on the street and was nervous when the informant status came out, but Willie Boy never said anything about him.
Carmine Lombardozzi, known by several nicknames including "the Doctor," "Alberto," "the King of Wall Street," and "the Italian Meyer Lansky," is buried at St. John's. He was considered one of the biggest earners the Gambino family had at the time and was a very intelligent man.
Vincent Papa, a Lucchese made member, is known for stealing heroin out of the NYPD lockup, heroin that had been taken during the French Connection case. He is buried at St. John's.
Philip "Rusty" Rastelli, boss of the Bonanno family for a time, lived in Greenpoint but was away for most of his tenure as boss. He is buried at St. John's. Joey Messina followed him as boss, was convicted of murder and sentenced to a couple hundred years, and eventually became an informant who did damage to the Bonanno family.
Frank "Funzi" Tieri, boss of the Genovese family in 1972, is buried at St. John's. He was a very low-profile, diplomatic figure whom people liked. Soldiers under him were said to appreciate him because he believed in sharing the wealth.
Neil Dellacroce, a high-ranking and well-respected figure in the Gambino family, is buried at St. John's. He was passed over for boss when Carlo Gambino died and Gambino appointed his brother-in-law, Paul Castellano, instead. Dellacroce was a mentor to John Gotti, who was upset that Dellacroce was passed over and never got along with Castellano. Gotti later orchestrated the hit on Castellano and became boss.
Finally, there is Sonny Franzese, the source's father, buried with his parents in the family plot at St. John's. About 25 family members are buried there, including the source's mother and two sisters. The source himself will not be buried there, as he lives in California and plans to be buried with his wife.
Many of the men in that cemetery did not die well. Some died in prison. Some were murdered. It is, as the source describes it, a sad story.
The source, who walked away from that life, often reflects on how fortunate he is not to have met the same fate as so many of his former associates. He speaks of his Christian faith and his belief that there is something better waiting on the other side for those who confess their sins and accept Jesus Christ, while acknowledging that God knows the heart and whether a person is sincere.
He recalls speaking with a nurse who cared for John Gotti at the federal prison hospital in Springfield, Missouri, where Gotti died of cancer after lingering for several months. He asked whether Gotti had any second thoughts, and the nurse shared some things he chose not to repeat. He remains hopeful that Gotti made his peace with the Lord in his final moments.
Reflecting on the difference between mob bosses of today and those of 40, 50, or 100 years ago, the source points to law enforcement. The racketeering laws and the bail reform act of the mid-1980s were devastating, putting many men in jail and turning many into informants. The government built up its arsenal and targeted the mob, changing the course of the life for everyone involved.
For anyone visiting New York, St. John Cemetery is impossible to miss from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Look down, and you will see the vast expanse of headstones, mausoleums, and gravesites. It remains a fascinating and imposing place, and a final resting place for a long list of names from a world that no longer exists in the same form.