On the evening of March 13, 2019, the quiet, upscale neighborhood of Todt Hill on Staten Island was disturbed by the eruption of gunfire. Outside his red-brick colonial home, 53-year-old Francesco 'Frank' Cali, a male reputed to be the acting boss of the Gambino crime family, was lured outside by a calculated maneuver. A blue pickup truck had deliberately crashed into his parked Cadillac, prompting him to investigate.
Surveillance footage captured what happened next: a conversation, even a handshake, between Cali and the driver of the truck. But as Cali turned his back, the man pulled out a 9mm handgun and fired multiple shots. Cali attempted to use his own vehicle as a shield, but he was struck by numerous bullets and fell to the ground. The assailant then sped off into the night. Emergency services transported Cali to Staten Island University Hospital, North, but he was pronounced deceased from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso.
The brazen killing, the first assassination of a New York crime boss since 1985, immediately sparked speculation of a mob war. However, the nature of the public execution, in full view of surveillance cameras, seemed uncharacteristic of a traditional mob hit. The New York Police Department launched an intensive investigation. Three days later, on March 16, authorities tracked down and arrested a suspect in Brick, New Jersey. The man was identified as 24-year-old Anthony Comello.
As the case unfolded, the motive appeared to be far from a simple mob-related dispute. Initially, investigators explored theories of a personal conflict, including a suggestion that Comello was upset because he had been forbidden from dating Cali's niece. However, a more bizarre motivation began to surface. During court appearances, Comello displayed writings on his hand with pro-Trump and QAnon conspiracy theory slogans, such as 'MAGA Forever.' His defense attorney argued that Comello had become dangerously influenced by right-wing propaganda and that his mental state had significantly changed in the months leading up to the killing. Comello's lawyer claimed his client believed Cali was a prominent member of the 'deep state' and that he had initially intended to place him under citizen's arrest.
Comello was indicted on murder charges and held in protective custody. After being found mentally unfit to stand trial, he received psychiatric treatment until he was later deemed competent. In early 2025, it was revealed through unredacted court records that Anthony Comello had pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to an undisclosed prison term. Due to what the court described as 'actual and implied' threats against Comello and his family, believed to be in retaliation for Cali's murder, the length of his sentence and his correctional facility location remain under seal.
