Around 1985 Bonanno members Frank Lino and Anthony Spero were promoted to official Captains at a meeting held in Maspeth, Queens. Lino previously served in an acting capacity for Matteo Valvo and later for Anthony 'Bruno' Indelicato. Following the latter's demotion and reassignment in the aftermath of the May 1981 Three Captains hit, Family leadership kept Lino in place as Acting Captain over Indelicato's former crew.
Those under Lino around the time of his promotion included:
Members
1. William 'Cappy' Capparelli: Inducted in the late 1970s under Bruno Indelicato's father, Alfonse aka Sonny Red. Serving NYS sentence for narcotics during the intra-Family conflict of the early 1980s. Convicted on another state charge in 1993 and spent three years at Wallkill Correctional Facility. Following release briefly targeted in murder plot solicited by Lino on the grounds he had allowed himself to be disrespected by having jewelry stolen while incarcerated. Despite authorization from leadership the plot not carried out and he died of natural causes in 2012.
2. Joseph D'Amico: Inducted with Lino on Halloween 1977 and also transferred to Bruno Indelicato after his own captain's demotion. One of several Lino crew members involved in May 1986 murder of Associate Robert 'Bobby C.' Capozio. In 1999 transferred to his cousin, the newly promoted Richard Cantarella. Flipped 2003.
3. Russell Mauro: Another Sonny Red crew member inducted in the late 1970s. Named by CWs as shooter, along with Bruno Indelicato and Dominick Trinchera, in Carmine Galante's 1979 murder. Put with Lino after the Three Captains hit and, by the late 1980s, transferred again to Salvatore Vitale. Shot to death May 1991 on Family orders. (This murder will be detailed in a future post.)
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| Wally (L) and Associate Ronald Filocomo |
4. Vito 'Wally' LNU: Another former Valvo crew member, reports give varied spellings of the family name (Palazzolo, Polizzotto, etc.). Listed as 'Vito (Wally) Pallmuzo' in a 1999 Bonanno induction list and apparently died the same year.
Associates of interest
1. Robert 'Bobby' Lino: Cousin to Frank and inducted under his sponsorship around October 1985. Acting Captain by the time of Capozio's murder. Just prior to his death in June 1989 he asked that his son Robert Jr. be made into the Family, a request fulfilled the following summer.
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| L to R: Riccardi, Pitera |
2. Thomas 'Tommy Karate' Pitera: One of Bruno Indelicato's closest associates, he initially joined Bruno in his short-lived exile after the Three Captains hit. Brought back into the fold by Lino who sponsored him for membership around early 1986. Shooter in multiple Family ordered hits through the following years. Convicted in 1992 on charges that included a half dozen or so other killings, most unsanctioned, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
3. Richard Riccardi: Related to Lino through marriage and present for at least two hits in the 1980s. Believed identical to the Richie LNU inducted with
Nicholas Pisciotti in December 1997.
4. Robert Trimaldi: Handled much of Lino's off the record narcotics interests. Participant in 1992 murder of Associate Robert Perrino. Believed to have died the following year. (CW D'Amico specifically named Trimaldi as a Soldier in Lino's crew, claiming he was made as a direct result of involvement in the Perrino homicide. CW Lino, in the few available instances where Trimaldi is referenced, either describes him as an Associate or makes no mention of rank at all.)
