Bruno Facciola, a 54-year-old Italian-American man, met a brutal end on August 24, 1990, ensnared in the treacherous world of organized crime. A made man in the Lucchese crime family, Facciola was lured to a garage in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn under a false pretense. He was accused of being a government informant, a death sentence in the mafia.
This false information was fed to the Lucchese leadership by two corrupt NYPD detectives, Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa.
Upon arriving at the garage, Facciola realized the dire situation he was in and attempted to flee for his life. However, his escape was thwarted. He was dragged back inside by mobster Louis Daidone and others, where a horrifying scene unfolded. Facciola was brutally stabbed and shot. In a symbolic and chilling message to others who might consider cooperating with law enforcement, his killers placed a dead canary in his mouth. His body was later discovered in the trunk of his own car in Brooklyn. The murder was orchestrated by high-ranking Lucchese family members, including acting boss Alphonse D'Arco, under the orders of Vic Amuso and Anthony 'Gaspipe' Casso, who were acting on the crooked cops' tip.
The aftermath of Bruno Facciola's murder led to significant legal repercussions for those involved. The two 'Mafia Cops,' Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, were eventually brought to justice for their long history of corruption and collusion with the mob. In March 2005, they were arrested, and in 2006, they were convicted of a multitude of federal crimes, including their role in Facciola's murder. Both were sentenced to life in prison. Louis Daidone was also convicted for his direct participation in the killing in 2004. The bosses who ordered the hit also faced justice; Vic Amuso is serving a life sentence for numerous murders, including Facciola's, and Anthony Casso died while in federal custody. The man who arranged the hit, Alphonse D'Arco, would later become a government witness, helping to dismantle the very criminal enterprise he once helped lead.
