Rosario "Sam" Matranga, an early Los Angeles mafioso, was born on September 20, 1884, in Piana dei Greci, Sicily. He emigrated to the United States in 1892, settling in Los Angeles, California. Matranga was a prominent figure in the early Los Angeles Mafia, often involved in various criminal activities. His death on November 5, 1917, was a significant event in the history of organized crime in Los Angeles.
Matranga was murdered in the early hours of November 5, 1917, as he returned to
his home at 1837 Darwin Avenue. He was driving his automobile towards the garage behind his residence when he was ambushed and shot in the back with a load of buckshot fired at close range. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, classified as homicidal. This brutal killing was indicative of the violent power struggles within the Los Angeles Mafia during that period.
The investigation into Matranga's murder revealed the deep-seated rivalries and conflicts among the Mafia factions in Los Angeles. One of Matranga's chief rivals was Joe Ardizzone, another prominent mafioso from the same Sicilian town. Ardizzone had previously killed one of Matranga's friends, George Maisano, in 1906, which led to a long-standing feud between the two factions. Although Ardizzone was a prime suspect in Matranga's murder, no arrests were made, and the case remained unsolved.
The murder of Rosario Matranga highlighted the violent nature of the Mafia's operations in Los Angeles. It also underscored the challenges faced by law enforcement in dealing with organized crime during the early 20th century. Despite the lack of concrete evidence and arrests, the investigation into Matranga's death provided valuable insights into the workings of the Los Angeles Mafia and its influence on the city's criminal landscape.
