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Roy Albert DeMeo (; September 7, 1940 – January 10, 1983) was an American mobster in the
Gambino crime family The Gambino crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia. ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. He headed a group known as the "DeMeo crew", which consisted of approximately twenty associates involved in
murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...
,
car theft Motor vehicle theft or car theft (also known as a grand theft auto in the United States) is the Crime, criminal act of Theft, stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle. In 2020, there were 810,400 vehicles reported stolen in the United ...
, drug dealing,
prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...
and
pornography Pornography (colloquially called porn or porno) is Sexual suggestiveness, sexually suggestive material, such as a picture, video, text, or audio, intended for sexual arousal. Made for consumption by adults, pornographic depictions have evolv ...
.p. 21-22 The DeMeo crew became notorious for the large number of murders they committed and for the grisly way they disposed of the bodies, which became known as "the Gemini Method". The crew is believed to be responsible for up to 200 murders, many of which were committed by DeMeo himself.


Early life

DeMeo was born on September 7, 1940, in the Flatlands neighborhood of
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
into a working-class Italian immigrant family originating from Formia in the region of
Lazio Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...
.Le origini formiane di Roy DeMeo
''Golfo Eventi'' (October 28, 2019)
The fourth of five children of Antonio Joseph "Anthony" DeMeo, a laundry company deliveryman, and Eleanor DeMeo (
née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Colarullo), a housewife, Roy graduated from James Madison High School in 1959, during which time he began earning money as a loanshark. Economist Walter Block and future presidential candidate
Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician and activist who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from the state of Vermont. He is the longest-serving independ ...
were among DeMeo's graduating year classmates. Between the ages of 15 and 22, DeMeo worked at a local grocery store, where he trained as an apprentice butcher. His older brother Anthony Frank "Chubby" DeMeo, a
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...
, was killed in action during the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
on April 23, 1951, aged 20.Military Funeral Set Friday For Corp. Anthony F. DeMeo
'' The Brooklyn Daily Eagle'' (October 23, 1951)
DeMeo's father died of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
on December 12, 1960, and his mother subsequently returned to Italy with Roy's youngest brother to live with relatives near
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
.


Criminal career


Gambino family

DeMeo was initially an associate of the Brooklyn faction of the
Lucchese crime family The Lucchese crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian Americans, Italian American American Mafia, Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City and New Jersey, within the nationwide c ...
, which controlled towing companies, junkyards and
car theft Motor vehicle theft or car theft (also known as a grand theft auto in the United States) is the Crime, criminal act of Theft, stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle. In 2020, there were 810,400 vehicles reported stolen in the United ...
operations in Flatlands and
Canarsie Canarsie ( ) is a mostly residential neighborhood in the southeastern portion of Brooklyn, New York City. Canarsie is bordered on the east by Fresh Creek Basin, East 108th Street, and Louisiana Avenue; on the north by Linden Boulevard; on th ...
. Anthony "Nino" Gaggi, a
soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer. Etymology The wo ...
in the
Gambino crime family The Gambino crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia. ...
, noticed DeMeo in 1966 and told him that he could make even more money with his successful business if he shifted his allegiance to the Gambinos. Through the late 1960s, DeMeo's
organized crime Organized crime is a category of transnational organized crime, transnational, national, or local group of centralized enterprises run to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a f ...
prospects increased on two fronts: he continued in the loansharking business with Gaggi and began developing a crew of young men involved in car theft. It was this collective of criminals that became known both in the underworld and in law enforcement circles as the "DeMeo crew". The first member of the DeMeo crew was 16-year-old Harvey "Chris" Rosenberg, who met DeMeo in 1966 when he was dealing
marijuana Cannabis (), commonly known as marijuana (), weed, pot, and ganja, List of slang names for cannabis, among other names, is a non-chemically uniform psychoactive drug from the ''Cannabis'' plant. Native to Central or South Asia, cannabis has ...
at a Canarsie gas station. DeMeo helped Rosenberg increase his business and profits by loaning him money so that he could deal in larger amounts. By 1972, Rosenberg had introduced his friends to DeMeo and they began working for him as well. The additional members of the crew came to include Joseph and Patrick Testa, Anthony Senter, Richard and Frederick DiNome, Henry Borelli, Joseph "Dracula" Guglielmo (DeMeo's cousin), and later, Vito Arena and Carlo Profeta. DeMeo joined a Brooklyn
credit union A credit union is a member-owned nonprofit organization, nonprofit cooperative financial institution. They may offer financial services equivalent to those of commercial banks, such as share accounts (savings accounts), share draft accounts (che ...
in 1972, gaining a position on the board of directors shortly afterward. He utilized his position to
launder money Money laundering is the process of illegally concealing the origin of money obtained from illicit activities (often known as dirty money) such as drug trafficking, sex work, terrorism, corruption, and embezzlement, and converting the funds in ...
earned through his illegal ventures. He also introduced colleagues at the credit union to a lucrative side-business, laundering the money of drug dealers he had become acquainted with. DeMeo also built up his loansharking business with funds stolen from credit union reserves. DeMeo's collection of loanshark customers, while still primarily those in the car industry, soon included other businesses such as a dentist's office, an
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
clinic, restaurants and flea markets. He was also listed as an employee for a Brooklyn company named S & C Sportswear Corporation, and frequently told his neighbors he worked in construction, food retailing and the used car business. Bonanno family
underboss Underboss () is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian Mafia, Sicilian and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the Crime boss, boss. The un ...
Salvatore Vitale claimed to the FBI that in 1974 he was ordered to deliver the corpse of a man who had just been murdered to a garage in
Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
so that it could be disposed of by DeMeo. In late 1974, a conflict escalated between the DeMeo crew and Andrei Katz, a young auto repair shop owner who was partners with DeMeo in a stolen car ring. In January 1975, Katz visited the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office and voluntarily provided them information that Rosenberg was heavily involved in car theft. DeMeo learned about the meeting immediately afterward from an
NYPD The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
auto crimes detective on his payroll. DeMeo ordered Borelli to contact a female acquaintance, Babette Judith Questel, about being used as bait. In May 1975, Katz appeared before a Brooklyn
grand jury A grand jury is a jury empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a person to testify. A grand ju ...
and divulged what he knew about the DeMeo crew's illegal activities. On June 13, 1975, Questel was used to successfully lure Katz to her apartment complex for what he thought was a date, where upon arrival he was immediately abducted by members of the DeMeo crew. He was then taken to the meat department of a
supermarket A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...
in Rockaway Beach,
Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
, where he was stabbed multiple times in the heart and then in the back with a butcher knife. After being decapitated, Katz's head was then put through a machine normally used for compacting cardboard boxes, where it was crushed. The body parts were wrapped in plastic bags and deposited into the supermarket's dumpster, where they were discovered days later when a pedestrian walking his dog spotted one of Katz's legs lying on a curb near the store. The police reported to the press that a grisly, brutal killing had occurred, but that was the extent of the information given. The body was identified as Katz's two days later through the use of dental records.Grab 2, Seek 3 and Girl in Butchering
Martin Gottlieb, ''
New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...
'' (July 6, 1975)


Gemini Method

As the 1970s progressed, DeMeo cultivated his followers into a crew experienced with the process of murdering and dismembering victims. With the exception of killings intended to send a message to any who would hinder their criminal activities, or murders that presented no other alternative, a set method of execution was established by the DeMeo crew to ensure that victims would be dispatched quickly and then made to disappear. The style of execution was dubbed the "Gemini Method", after the Gemini Lounge, a bar which served as the primary hangout of the crew, as well as the site where most of their victims were killed. The process of the Gemini Method, as revealed by multiple crew members and associates who became government witnesses in the early 1980s, was to lure the victim through the side door of the lounge and into the apartment in the back portion of the building. At this point, a crew member, almost always DeMeo according to crew member-turned-government witness Frederick DiNome, would approach with a silenced pistol in one hand and a towel in the other, shooting the victim in the head then wrapping the towel around the victim's head wound like a turban to stanch the blood flow. Immediately after, another member of the crew, originally Rosenberg, would stab the victim in the heart to prevent more blood from pumping out of the gunshot wound. By then, the victim would be dead, at which point the body would be stripped of clothing and dragged into a bathroom, where the remaining blood drained out or congealed within the body. This was to eliminate the messiness of the next step, when crew members would place the body onto plastic sheets laid out in the main room and proceed to dismember it, cutting off the arms, legs and head. Following dismemberment, the body parts would then be put into bags, placed in cardboard boxes and sent to the Fountain Avenue
landfill A landfill is a site for the disposal of waste materials. It is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of waste with daily, intermediate and final covers only began in the 1940s. In the past, waste was ...
in Brooklyn. So many tons of garbage were dropped each day at the dump that it would be nearly impossible for the bodies to be discovered. During the initial stages of an early 1980s investigation targeting the DeMeo crew, a plan by authorities to excavate sections of the dump to locate remains was aborted when it was deemed too costly and unlikely to locate any meaningful evidence. The landfill, opposite the Starrett City Apartment Complex on Pennsylvania Avenue in the East New York section of Brooklyn, was closed in 1985 and capped over since. All signs and odors that a landfill had existed are gone, replaced by parkland. Some victims were killed in other ways for varying reasons. At times, suspected informants or those who committed an act of disrespect against a member of the crew or their superiors had their bodies left in the streets to serve as a message and warning. There were also occasions where it would not be possible to lure the intended victim into the Gemini Lounge, in which case other locations would have to be used. A cabin cruiser owned by Richard DiNome was used on at least one occasion to dispose of remains at sea.


Further criminal career

In the latter half of 1975, DeMeo became a silent partner in a peep show and
prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...
establishment in Bricktown,
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, after the owner of the business became unable to pay his loansharking debts. DeMeo also began dealing in bestiality and
child pornography Child pornography (also abbreviated as CP, also called child porn or kiddie porn, and child sexual abuse material, known by the acronym CSAM (underscoring that children can not be deemed willing participants under law)), is Eroticism, erotic ma ...
, which he sold to his New Jersey establishment as well as connections in
Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
. When Gaggi found out about DeMeo's involvement in such
taboo A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
films, he demanded that DeMeo stop under the threat of death. However, DeMeo defied Gaggi and continued the practice. Gaggi did not retaliate, and, according to his nephew Dominick Montiglio, the subject was never mentioned again as long as DeMeo continued making payments to Gaggi. DeMeo also dealt in narcotics despite the Gambino family strictly forbidding such activity; he financed a major operation importing Colombian marijuana, which was unloaded from an offshore freighter and sold at various auto shops in Canarsie, and also sold
cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
out of the Gemini Lounge. As 1975 drew to a close, DeMeo was the subject of
Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting Taxation in the United States, U.S. federal taxes and administerin ...
(IRS) investigations into his income. Months earlier, DeMeo's credit union had been pushed into
insolvency In accounting, insolvency is the state of being unable to pay the debts, by a person or company ( debtor), at maturity; those in a state of insolvency are said to be ''insolvent''. There are two forms: cash-flow insolvency and balance-sheet i ...
as a result of the plundering of its finances by DeMeo and his crew; DeMeo quit the credit union as a result. Before an
indictment An indictment ( ) is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that use the concept of felonies, the most serious criminal offense is a felony; jurisdictions that do not use that concept often use that of an ind ...
could be handed down against him, DeMeo utilized false
affidavit An ( ; Medieval Latin for "he has declared under oath") is a written statement voluntarily made by an ''affiant'' or ''deposition (law), deponent'' under an oath or affirmation which is administered by a person who is authorized to do so by la ...
s from businesses owned by friends and acquaintances claiming he was on their payrolls as an employee. These affidavits served to account for some of his income, allowing him to reach a settlement with the IRS. DeMeo's sources of income, as well as his crew, continued to grow. By July 1976 he added an automobile firm by the name of Team Auto Wholesalers to his loanshark customers. The owner of Team Auto, Matthew Rega, also purchased stolen vehicles from the DeMeo crew and sold them off at a New Jersey car lot that he owned. DeMeo also involved himself with
hijacking Hijacking may refer to: Common usage Computing and technology * Bluejacking, the unsolicited transmission of data via Bluetooth * Brandjacking, the unauthorized use of a company's brand * Browser hijacking * Clickjacking (including ''likej ...
delivery trucks from
John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport is a major international airport serving New York City and its metropolitan area. JFK Airport is located on the southwestern shore of Long Island, in Queens, New York City, bordering Jamaica Bay. It is ...
. His crew now included Edward "Danny" Grillo, a hijacker who had just been released from prison. In the fall of 1976, the Gambino family went through a massive change when its boss, Carlo Gambino, died of natural causes. Paul Castellano was named as Gambino's successor, with Aniello Dellacroce retaining the position of
underboss Underboss () is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian Mafia, Sicilian and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the Crime boss, boss. The un ...
. The implications of this were twofold for DeMeo. Gaggi was elevated to the position of ''
caporegime A ''caporegime'' or ''capodecina'', usually shortened to ''capo'' or informally referred to as "captain", "skipper" or "lieutenant", is a leadership position in the Mafia (both the Sicilian Mafia and Italian-American Mafia). A ''capo'' is a "made m ...
'', taking over the crew of men Castellano previously headed. This promotion was beneficial for DeMeo, whose mentor was now even closer to the family leadership. Another advantage was that with Gambino deceased, new associates would be eligible for membership into the family. Castellano did not immediately "open the books" for new members, opting instead to promote existing members and reshuffle his capos to new crews. He also allegedly opposed the idea of DeMeo being " made", looking down on street-level members and instead involving himself in
white-collar crime The term "white-collar crime" refers to financially motivated, nonviolent or non-directly violent crime committed by individuals, businesses and government professionals. The crimes are believed to be committed by middle- or upper-class indivi ...
. Additionally, Castellano felt DeMeo was uncontrollable. Gaggi's attempts at persuading Castellano to make DeMeo were continually rejected. By 1977, DeMeo became distraught by this situation and searched for opportunities that would ensure larger returns for his superiors.


The Westies alliance and Rosenberg

DeMeo secured his induction into the Gambino family by forming an alliance with an
Irish-American Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish immigration to the United States From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...
gang known as the Westies, based in Hell's Kitchen. The leader of a rival Irish gang, Mickey Spillane, was causing delays for the construction of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, much to the frustration of Castellano, who had an interest in the project. After the unsolved murder of Spillane in May 1977, Westies leader James "Jimmy" Coonan assumed control of the Irish mob rackets on the West Side of
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
. DeMeo, sensing an opportunity to create a vast source of income for the Gambino family, persuaded Gaggi to consider a partnership with the Westies. Shortly afterwards, Coonan and his second-in-command Mickey Featherstone were called to a meeting with Castellano, in which they agreed to become a ''de facto'' arm of the family and share ten percent of all profits. In exchange, the Westies would be privy to several lucrative union deals and take on murder contracts for the family. It was his pivotal role in the Westie–Gambino alliance that reportedly convinced Castellano to give DeMeo his "button", or formally induct him into the family. DeMeo was made in mid-1977 and put in charge of handling all family business with the Westies. He was ordered to get permission before committing any murders and to avoid drug dealing. His crew, however, continued to sell large amounts of cocaine, marijuana and a variety of narcotic pills. DeMeo also continued to commit unsanctioned killings, such as the 1977 double homicide of Johnathan Quinn, a car thief suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, and Cherie Golden, Quinn's 19-year-old girlfriend. The DeMeo crew dumped the bodies in locations where they would be discovered to serve as a warning against cooperation with authorities.Body in car identified as Brooklyn woman, 19
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' (July 26, 1977)
In 1978, Frederick DiNome, previously DeMeo's
chauffeur A chauffeur () is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or a limousine. Initially, such drivers were often personal employees of the vehicle owner, but this has changed to s ...
, joined the crew. DeMeo and his crew murdered Grillo, who had fallen into heavy debt with DeMeo and was believed to be becoming susceptible to police coercion. Grillo, who was dismembered and disposed of like many of the crew's victims, was the first known occurrence of internal crew discipline. The next member to be killed was Rosenberg, who had set up a drug deal with a Cuban man living in
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
and then murdered him and his associates when they traveled to New York to complete the sale. The Cuban had connections with a Cuban drug cartel, raising the possibility of violence between the Gambino family and the Cubans unless Rosenberg was dealt with. DeMeo was ordered to kill Rosenberg but stalled for weeks. During this period, DeMeo committed his most public murder. The victim was a college student with no criminal ties named Dominick Ragucci, who was paying for his tuition as a door-to-door salesman. DeMeo saw Ragucci parked outside his house in Massapequa Park,
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...
, and assumed he was a Cuban assassin.Frenzied Hitmen
''
New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...
'' (September 21, 1992)
DeMeo and crew members Joseph Guglielmo and Frederick DiNome pursued Ragucci in a seven-mile car chase on Route 110 through Amityville and Farmingdale, after which the student was shot to death by DeMeo. After returning home and gathering his family, DeMeo drove them out of Long Island and left them at a hotel in
upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region of New York (state), New York that lies north and northwest of the New York metropolitan area, New York City metropolitan area of downstate New York. Upstate includes the middle and upper Hudson Valley, ...
for two weeks. According to DeMeo's son Albert, he started crying when he discovered he had murdered an innocent teenager and did not eat for several days afterwards. The public execution also put a strain on DeMeo's relationship with his wife Gladys, who had previously been able to ignore her husband's criminal activities. Gaggi was infuriated by the murder of Ragucci, and ordered DeMeo to kill Rosenberg before there were any other innocent victims. On May 11, 1979, Rosenberg reported to the Gemini Lounge for the crew's usual Friday night meeting. Shortly after his arrival, DeMeo fired a single bullet into the unsuspecting Rosenberg's head. The usually ice-cold DeMeo hesitated when the still-living Rosenberg managed to rise off the floor and onto one knee, but Senter then moved in and finished him off with four shots to the head. Unlike Grillo, Rosenberg's body was not dismembered or made to disappear. The Cubans had demanded that his murder make the newspapers. DeMeo's men placed Rosenberg's body in his car and left it on the side of Cross Bay Boulevard, near the Gateway National Wildlife Refuge in Broad Channel, Queens, to be found. Albert later recounted that Rosenberg's murder affected his father deeply, and that when DeMeo came home after the killing, he went into his study room and didn't emerge for two days. After the murder, DeMeo spent six weeks hiding out with Guglielmo in a safe house near 42nd Street in
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
, growing a full beard and disguising himself with a baseball cap and sunglasses when out in public.


Empire Boulevard operation

As 1979 continued, DeMeo began to expand his business activities, in particular his auto theft operation, which soon became the largest in history of New York City. Dubbed the Empire Boulevard Operation by
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
(FBI) agents, it consisted of hundreds of stolen cars being shipped from the port of Newark to Kuwait and
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
. DeMeo put together a group of five active partners in the operation, all of whom earned approximately $30,000 a week each in profit. Aside from stolen automobiles, DeMeo was also shipping cigarettes and pornographic magazines to the Middle East. Aside from the active partners, other associates and crew members performed the actual stealing of the automobiles off the streets of New York. Among these associates was Vito Arena, a long-time car thief and armed robber who began working for DeMeo in 1978 after murdering his old partner. Like DiNome, Arena became closely involved with the DeMeo crew by the end of the 1970s. In 1979, the Empire Boulevard Operation was nearly stopped by a legitimate car dealer who threatened to inform the police. He was murdered along with an uninvolved acquaintance before he could provide authorities with information.


Eppolito murders

In late 1979, DeMeo and Gaggi became involved in a conflict with James Eppolito and James Eppolito Jr., two made Gambino members in Gaggi's crew. They were the paternal uncle and cousin, respectively, of a corrupt former
New York City Police Department The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
(NYPD) detective, Louis Eppolito, whose father, Ralph, brother of James Sr., was also a made member of the Gambino family.10 Facts about the Mafia Cops
Orlando Camacho, Medium (September 26, 2018)
The elder Eppolito met with Castellano and accused DeMeo and Gaggi of drug dealing, which carried the penalty of death. Castellano, to whom Gaggi was a close ally, sided against Eppolito and gave Gaggi permission to do what he pleased. He and DeMeo shot both Eppolitos to death in the younger Eppolito's car en route to the Gemini Lounge on October 1, 1979. A witness driving by right as the shots were fired within the parked car alerted a nearby police officer, who arrested Gaggi after a shootout between the two that left Gaggi with a bullet wound in his neck. Since DeMeo had split up with Gaggi as they left the scene, he was not arrested or identified by the witness.Father and Son Are Slain in Car In Coney Island
David Bird, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' (October 3, 1979)
Gaggi was charged with murder and the attempted murder of a police officer, but through jury tampering was convicted only of
assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...
and given a five- to fifteen-year sentence in federal prison. DeMeo murdered the witness shortly after Gaggi's sentencing in March 1980. The Empire Boulevard Operation had continued to expand into 1980 until the warehouse serving as its headquarters was raided by agents from the Newark branch of the FBI that summer. Henry Borelli and Frederick DiNome were arrested in May 1981 for their roles in the operation, but there was not enough evidence to arrest any of the other active partners. DeMeo ordered Borelli and DiNome to plead guilty to the charges in hopes that it would stop any further investigations into his activities.


Downfall and murder

By 1982, the FBI was investigating the enormous number of missing and murdered persons who were linked to DeMeo or who had last been seen entering the Gemini Lounge. Arena began cooperating with a state and federal
task force A task force (TF) is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many ...
investigating the DeMeo crew after he was arrested on June 4, 1982 for a string of robberies. Fearing that they would be arrested as a result of Arena's testimony, DeMeo and members of his crew went into hiding during the summer and fall of 1982. DeMeo eventually emerged from hiding to consult with lawyers as he anticipated an indictment stemming from the Southern District of New York's investigation into his crew's activities. Due to Arena's knowledge of the chain of command in the Gambino family, Gaggi and Castellano became concerned upon learning that Arena had turned state's evidence, and Castellano began conspiring to have DeMeo killed. Around this time, an FBI bug in the home of Gambino soldier Angelo Ruggiero picked up a conversation between him and Gene Gotti, a brother of John Gotti. In the conversation, it was discussed that Castellano had put out a hit on DeMeo, but was having difficulty finding someone willing to do the job. Gene Gotti mentioned that John was wary of taking the contract, as DeMeo had an "army of killers" around him. It is also mentioned that, at that time, John had killed fewer than ten people, while DeMeo had killed 37 that they had known about. According to mob informant Sammy Gravano, eventually the contract was given to Frank DeCicco, but DeCicco and his crew could not reach DeMeo either. DeCicco allegedly handed the job to DeMeo's own men. DeMeo's son Albert wrote that in his final days, DeMeo was depressed and paranoid, aware that he would soon be killed. In the winter of 1982–1983, DeMeo rarely left his mansion and wore a leather jacket with a sawn-off shotgun concealed underneath whenever he did venture outside. DeMeo considered faking his own death by having his son shoot him and laying low. On January 10, 1983, DeMeo went to crew member Patty Testa's house for a meeting with his men. That night, he failed to attend his daughter Dione's birthday party, which caused his family to be suspicious. Albert later found DeMeo's personal belongings such as his watch, wallet and ring in his study room, along with a
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
pamphlet. Ten days later, on January 20, 1983, DeMeo's
Cadillac Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...
Coupe DeVille was discovered in the parking lot of the Varuna Boat Club in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. The car was towed to a nearby police station, where it was searched by NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau detectives. DeMeo's partially frozen body was found in the trunk with a
chandelier A chandelier () is an ornamental lighting device, typically with spreading branched supports for multiple lights, designed to be hung from the ceiling. Chandeliers are often ornate, and they were originally designed to hold candles, but now inca ...
on top of it. He had been shot multiple times in the head and had a bullet wound in his hand, assumed by law enforcement to be a defensive wound caused when his killers opened fire on him. The task force investigating the DeMeo crew theorized that DeMeo was set up in a similar manner to how he set up Rosenberg, and that Gaggi, Testa and Senter were present when he was killed. Albert DeMeo also believed that his father was killed by members of his own crew. In April 1984, Colombo family soldier Ralph Scopo was overheard on a wiretap explaining to an associate that DeMeo had been killed by his own family because they suspected that he would not be able to stand up to legal charges that resulted from his stolen car ring.''The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia''
Jerry Capeci (2005)
According to Scopo, Castellano also "had to put him away" because DeMeo "was crazy and had cast-iron balls".''See No Evil: The true story of a mafia doctor's double life''
Ron Felber (2013)
Lucchese family underboss-turned-government witness Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso claimed that Castellano ordered John Gotti and Frank DeCicco to kill DeMeo, but they were unable to get close to him. DeCicco suggested Casso could do it, as he knew Senter and Joseph Testa well. Casso ordered them to kill DeMeo, assuring them that there would be no retribution and that afterwards they would join him in the Lucchese family. DeMeo visited the home of Patty Testa to collect some money he was owed. Joseph Testa and Senter were both there. As DeMeo sat down and waited for a coffee, they shot him dead. Ironically, according to Casso, Castellano ordering DeMeo's execution sealed Castellano's own fate, as Gotti and DeCicco were planning to kill him, and would do so on December 16, 1985. Casso said they would never have dared to move against Castellano while DeMeo was still alive.


Aftermath

In 1984, a 78-count indictment was filed against 24 defendants, including Castellano, Gaggi and the surviving members of the DeMeo crew. The charges related to car theft,
racketeering Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the perpetrators set up a coercion, coercive, fraud, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit. ...
and drug trafficking. Castellano was indicted for ordering DeMeo's murder, as well as a host of other crimes, but was killed in December 1985 while out on
bail Bail is a set of pre-trial restrictions that are imposed on a suspect to ensure that they will not hamper the judicial process. Court bail may be offered to secure the conditional release of a defendant with the promise to appear in court when ...
in the middle of the first trial. John Gotti, who ordered the hit, became the new boss of the Gambino family. Gaggi became the lead defendant after Castellano's death, but himself soon died later of natural causes. In March 1986, six members of the DeMeo crew were convicted, with Borelli and one other defendant found guilty of two counts of murder. They were found guilty of murdering two people who threatened to expose the car theft ring. In June 1989, nine additional members, including Anthony Senter and Joseph Testa, were convicted. At sentencing, Senter and Testa were given
life sentence Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment under which the convicted individual is to remain incarcerated for the rest of their natural life (or until pardoned or commuted to a fixed term). Crimes that result in life imprisonment are c ...
s for murder with an additional twenty years for racketeering. Prosecutor William Mack Jr. stated that "The Roy DeMeo Crew is the most violent crew ever prosecuted in federal court, as far as my knowledge", and that DeMeo "engaged in wholesale slaughter". The convictions were secured in large part by testimony of former members Frederick DiNome and Dominick Montiglio, as well as Vito Arena. Montiglio turned when he learned that Gaggi, his uncle, had put a contract on his life, and was placed in the
witness protection program Witness protection is security provided to a threatened person providing testimonial evidence to the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during, and after trials, usually by police. While witnesses may only require p ...
for twenty years for his testimony. Richard DiNome was murdered in 1984. Frederick DiNome died in what was ruled as a
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
in 1989. Arena left New York City that same year after serving six years of an eighteen-year sentence after his testimony. He was killed in a 1991 robbery in Texas. The Gemini Lounge later became a storefront church. DeMeo is the subject of the 1992 book ''Murder Machine'' by Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustaine. DeMeo's son Albert also wrote a book about his life growing up called ''For the Sins of My Father'', published in 2002. DeMeo is portrayed by Michael A. Miranda in the 2001 film '' Boss of Bosses''. Ray Liotta plays DeMeo in the 2012
film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...
of Anthony Bruno's book about Richard Kuklinski, ''The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer''. Danny A. Abeckaser plays DeMeo in the 2023 film '' Inside Man''.


Personal life

DeMeo married Gladys Rosamond Brittain (1939–2002) in 1960. In 1966, he moved into a custom-built home in Massapequa, where he lived with his wife and three children. The couple had two daughters and a son. DeMeo was raised Catholic but stopped practicing the religion in later life. His children were raised in his wife's
Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
faith. By all accounts, he was a devoted family man. Describing growing up, Albert DeMeo recalled, "I grew up in a very normal household." Albert became a
stockbroker A stockbroker is an individual or company that buys and sells stocks and other investments for a financial market participant in return for a commission, markup, or fee. In most countries they are regulated as a broker or broker-dealer and ...
but suffered a
nervous breakdown A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...
after the release of ''Murder Machine'' in 1992. He was later diagnosed with
post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a Psychological trauma, traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster ...
. One of DeMeo's daughters became a clothing designer, and the other a
medical doctor A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis ...
.


List of murders allegedly committed by the DeMeo crew


References


Sources

* Abadinsky, Howard. ''Organized Crime''. 5th Edition, Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1997 * * * * * * O'Brien, Joseph. ''Boss of Bosses: The Fall of the Godfather: The FBI and Paul Castellano''. NY: Dell, 1992. * Raab, Selwyn. ''The Five Families: The Rise, Decline & Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empire''. New York: St. Martins Press, 2005.


External links


Roy Albert DeMeo Federal Bureau of Investigation Records

Mobsters: Roy DeMeo
- Full Episode (S2, E1) , A&E
My father the mobster
- Albert DeMeo, ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
''
Albert DeMeo: "For The Sins of My Father"
- The Diane Rehm Show {{DEFAULTSORT:Demeo, Roy 1940 births 1983 deaths People murdered in 1983 20th-century American murderers American drug traffickers American male criminals Burials at St. John's Cemetery (Queens) Catholics from New York (state) Criminals from Brooklyn Deaths by firearm in Brooklyn DeMeo Crew DeMeo Crew victims Gambino crime family Gangsters from New York City James Madison High School (Brooklyn) alumni Mafia hitmen Murdered American gangsters of Italian descent Murdered DeMeo Crew members Murdered Gambino crime family members People from Flatlands, Brooklyn People from Massapequa, New York People murdered in New York City People of Lazian descent