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Description
Guarino “Willie” Moretti, also known as Willie Moore, was a prominent figure in the Italian-American mafia, serving as the underboss of the Genovese crime family under his cousin Frank Costello. Born on February 24, 1894, Moretti’s influence in the mob world was substantial until concerns about his mental health, rumored to be deteriorating due to advanced-stage syphilis, made him a liability. His increasing talkativeness posed a risk to the mob’s secrecy, leading to an open contract for his assassination.
Years later, Joe Valachi, a government witness, recounted a conversation with Vito Genovese, the boss of the Genovese crime family, about Moretti’s killing. Genovese referred to it as a “mercy killing,” citing Moretti’s deteriorating mental condition.
The fateful day was October 4, 1951. Moretti was dining at Joe’s Elbow Room Restaurant in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, with four others. The group was conversing in Italian, the only patrons in the establishment, when at 11:28 am, shots rang out. Staff found Moretti fatally shot in the face and head, lying on the floor. It was speculated that the face shots were a sign of respect in the mob world. The assailants, believed to be Philadelphia mobster Antonio Caponigro and Joseph “Pepe” LiCalsi, had fled by the time the staff arrived. The waitress tentatively identified Anastasia Crime Family capo John “Johnny Roberts” Robilotto as the man who accompanied Moretti to the restaurant.
On the day of the murder, entertainers Martin and Lewis had scheduled a lunch with Moretti but had to cancel due to Lewis contracting mumps. They learned of Moretti’s death later through television news.
Moretti’s funeral took place at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, and he was laid to rest at St Michael’s Cemetery in South Hackensack, New Jersey. His funeral drew over 5,000 mourners, creating a scene that required police control.
Moretti left behind two step-sisters, Melissa Moretti and Renee Moretti-Ward, both in Italy, and a niece, Kayla Russo-Moretti, in New Jersey. The whereabouts or status of other family members remained unknown or unclaimed.