In the early morning hours of June 10, 2010, the life of 38-year-old Rocco Anthony Maniscalco Jr., a White male, was violently cut short on a South Philadelphia street. Maniscalco had been at the Wolf Street Cafe, enjoying the Flyers game, and was just a short walk from his home on the 1700 block of Wolf Street. As he made his way home around 1:04 a.m., an unknown assailant emerged and fired multiple shots, striking Maniscalco repeatedly.
Philadelphia Police officers who responded to the scene found him with numerous gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at 1:21 a.m.
Investigators at the scene recovered at least ten shell casings, indicating the ferocity of the attack. Initial reports from police radio described a possible suspect as a thin, white male wearing a white shirt who was seen fleeing the area in a dark-colored SUV. Despite this initial lead, no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murder of the father of four, and the case officially remains an unsolved homicide.
The investigation into Maniscalco's death has been complex, with several potential motives explored by law enforcement. One angle has been the possibility of a connection to organized crime. Maniscalco was the grandson of notorious Philadelphia mob figure Harry 'The Hunchback' Riccobene. Sources indicated that the FBI was examining the case for any potential links to the criminal underworld. Reports also surfaced that Maniscalco, who owned an auto-repair and towing business called New Era Collision, may have been resisting extortion attempts and was allegedly involved in a dispute with other drug dealers over a significant gambling debt. In the months leading up to his death, those close to him noted that he had taken to wearing a bulletproof vest. The investigation into his murder remains open and is reportedly among a number of cold-case gangland slayings being reviewed by federal law enforcement.
