In the spring of 1980, a young man's life was tragically cut short on the streets of Brooklyn, New York, a consequence of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessing a violent mob crime. Twenty-one-year-old Patrick Penny became a target after he saw a crime committed by the notorious DeMeo crew, a ruthless faction of the Gambino crime family.
His fateful decision to report what he saw set in motion a chain of events that would ultimately lead to his death.
Penny had the misfortune of witnessing a crime and, in an act of civic duty, flagged down an off-duty police officer. This led to a direct confrontation and a shootout between the officer and a high-ranking member of the DeMeo crew, Nino Gaggi, who was injured in the exchange. Penny's involvement in this incident marked him for death. The DeMeo crew, known for their brutality and for eliminating any potential witnesses, could not afford to have him testify.
Despite warnings from detectives that his life was in danger and that he should leave town, Penny remained in Brooklyn. The DeMeo crew, led by the infamous Roy DeMeo, tasked associates Vito Arena and Richie DiNome with finding and silencing him. They tracked Penny down and on May 12, 1980, their deadly mission was accomplished. Roy DeMeo himself reportedly shot Penny multiple times, ensuring he could never speak about what he had seen.
The investigation into Patrick Penny's murder was fraught with difficulties, a common challenge when dealing with organized crime's code of silence and intimidation. The DeMeo crew's reputation for violence made it incredibly difficult for law enforcement to gather evidence and find witnesses willing to come forward. Ultimately, however, persistent police work and the eventual cooperation of informants led to indictments against members of the mob, shedding light on a string of murders, including that of Patrick Penny. His death served as a grim reminder of the reach and ruthlessness of organized crime in that era.
