‘Things are right up close, personal.’ Pat Musitano’s hitman shares tales of working for Hamilton mobster
There likely won't be any retaliation for the murder of Hamilton mobster Pasquale (Pat) Musitano, who was shot dead on a Burlington street Friday afternoon, according to a former undercover cop.
Pat was done . . . ," Paul Manning said in an interview of Saturday. He burned his bridges . . . I think that's the end of it."
Halton Region police haven't identified any suspects in the murder of Musitano and the wounding of a second man, who has not been identified. The second shooting victim was in serious condition in hospital on Saturday while Musitano was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police report that one male suspect fled the scene of the 1 p.m. shooting at 484 Plains Road East in Burlington, heading west in a grey, four-door sedan, which police described as similar to a new model Infiniti Q50 with a sunroof. This vehicle will have fresh damage to the driver's side near the doors, police said.
Musitano, 52, had fallen far in the past decade, from when he had been considered by police to be an Ontario lieutenant for Vito Rizzuto of Montreal, who died of natural causes in December 2013.
In the past few years, Musitano grew increasingly isolated after his younger brother Angelo was murdered and his uncle Tony Musitano died of natural causes. No one has been charged in Angelo Musitano's murder.
Pat Musitano's father Domenic died of natural causes in 1995 at age 57. Domenic Musitano was cleared in 1983 on four charges of conspiracy to commit extortion and jailed in 1985 as an accessory after the fact in the slaying of Domenic Racco, the son of Toronto mobster/baker Michele (Mike) Racco.
Pat Musitano made plenty of enemies recently through a scam that involved drawing investors into a gravel company, Manning said.
One Toronto investor was able to get some $400,000 back, after threatening Musitano, but plenty of others were angry and frustrated, Manning said.
In the final days before a hitman shot him dead Friday afternoon, Musitano found comfort in the frequent company of a senior citizen who was once his father's bodyguard, sources say. The man is now 77 and never was an imposing specimen - standing five-foot-six and weighing 134 pounds, according to his RCMP file.
He was also of British heritage, meaning he could never be inducted into the Mafia, Manning said. Manning doesn't expect that man to have any epiphany and begin co-operating with police because of his companion's murder.
He was a rounder," Manning said. He was a tough guy. That dude won't flip either."
Musitano's elderly companion is described in a 2002 RCMP intelligence report as a liaison" between the Buffalo mob and the Musitanos.
In its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, the Buffalo mob - nicknamed The Arm" - was led by Stefano (The Undertaker) Magaddino, who ran a funeral home in Lewiston. Police said The Arm's reach stretched from Western New York into Pennsylvania, Ohio and Ontario.
The report says Musitano's elderly friend had previously been close to Niagara Falls, Ont. mobster Carmen Barilliaro, but something went wrong and there was a split in 1988.
Barillaro was murdered by hitman Ken Murdock in 1997 on the orders of Musitano and his brother, Angelo.
Both Musitano brothers were sentenced to 10-year prison terms.
Related charges against Pat Musitano for the 1997 murder of Hamilton mobster Johnny (Pops) Papalia were withdrawn by the Crown.
Pat Musitano was also a suspect in ordering the murder of Salvatore (Sam) Alaimo, 53, a factory janitor and father of five who was shot to death in the garage of his home on Nov. 21, 1985, after running up gambling debts.
Regarding Friday's shooting, Halton police investigators appealed for anyone with dash cam and/or commercial or residential surveillance footage from the area between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to contact them.
Peter Edwards is a Toronto-based reporter primarily covering crime for the Star. Reach him by email at pedwards@thestar.ca