On a September morning in 1952, the life of Eugenio "Gene" Giannini, a 42-year-old White male, came to a violent end on the streets of East Harlem, New York. Born in Bari, Italy, in 1910, Giannini had a long history in the criminal underworld, with ties to both the Genovese and Lucchese crime families. His criminal record was extensive, including arrests for robbery and a suspected, though uncharged, involvement in the killing of a police officer.
Giannini's death was not a random act of
violence but a calculated mob execution. The order for the hit came from the upper echelons of the Mafia after it was discovered that Giannini had attempted to become an informant for the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. This betrayal, coupled with accusations that he had double-crossed his partners in a heroin deal, sealed his fate. The contract for his murder was given to Anthony "Tony Bender" Strollo, a prominent figure in the Genovese crime family.
On September 20, 1952, the sentence was carried out. Giannini was gunned down on a public street by a team of hitmen. The shooters were later identified as Joe Valachi, a man who would later become one of the most famous mob informants in history, along with Joseph and Pasquale Pagano. A fourth individual, Fiore "Fury" Siano, a nephew of Valachi, was also implicated in the murder, reportedly as a way to prove his worth to the crime family.
Initially, after being shot, Giannini was found still alive near an athletic club on 2nd Avenue. However, he succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the hospital. In an attempt to avoid police involvement, those trying to help him disposed of his body on East 107th Street in Harlem, where it was later discovered. The details of Giannini's final moments and the conspiracy that led to his death were largely revealed through the later testimony of Joe Valachi, who provided an insider's account of the events.
