Grew up in the East Village neighborhood, where he resided at 46 St. Marks Place by 1969.
On October 2 of that year Tozzi, Philip Abramo and Ronald Costa carried out a hijacking at JFKIA in Queens. Dressed as National Airlines employees, they held up the driver of a truck containing $400,000 worth of precious metals. It was the only such incident that occurred at the airport itself that year.
The following day Tozzi and Costa were arrested by the FBI and charged with theft from interstate shipment. Abramo was apprehended nine days later.
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| 1969 Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer |
Subsequent press coverage claimed that, after their release on bail, Abramo and Tozzi were severely beaten for committing the hijacking without permission from their mob superiors. Tozzi, it was claimed, had both legs broken in the assault.
At trial in 1970 co-defendant Ronald Costa testified for the defense and was acquitted. Abramo and Tozzi, recipients of a mistrial, pleaded guilty to reduced charges and were sentenced to twelve and eighteen months imprisonment respectively.
In 1972 Costa was convicted of perjury for his role as witness.
Philip Abramo went on to become an inducted member and later a Capodecina in the DeCavalcante Family.
Nothing else is available on Tozzi until December 1984. He was photographed attending the wedding reception for Gambino Acting Capodecina John Gotti's daughter held at Marina Del Ray Caterers in The Bronx. Bonannos present in addition to Tozzi included Underboss Joseph Massino, Captain Louis Attanasio, Acting Captains Frank Lino and Anthony Spero and at least eight Soldiers. Tozzi is believed to have been an Associate in Spero's crew at the time.
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| Induction List (c. 2/91) |
Tozzi, his name written as 'Sal (Sally Horse) Pozzi', is included as one of two candidates for membership on a Bonanno induction list prepared in February 1991. Named along with Vincent Basciano, he may have been inducted with Basciano in a ceremony held around that time at a residence in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. He would likely have been proposed for membership by Joseph Chilli, who succeeded Anthony Spero as Capodecina following the latter's election to Consigliere.
Around May 20, 1991 Tozzi participated in the murder of Bonanno Soldier Russell Mauro. Lured to the Black Eagle Social Club at 36th Ave and 10th St in Astoria, Queens, Mauro was shot to death by Joseph DeSimone and Associate Peter Cosoleto. The body was placed in the trunk of his girlfriend's car and left on 34th St where it was discovered ten days later.
If Tozzi was not yet an inducted member, he would have been made in the wake of Mauro's homicide. Shooter Peter Cosoleto and on-scene accomplice Generoso Barbieri were both made as a result of their participation.
On August 17, 1992 the FBI executed a search warrant on the West End Social Club located at 17-14 Bath Ave in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. The location was controlled by Consigliere Anthony Spero, who was present at the time. Tozzi was at the club as well, along with Bonanno Acting Captain Frank Porco, Bonanno Soldiers Peter Cosoleto and Dominick Miniero, Lucchese Soldier Frank Bellino and a dozen others. Two illegal gambling machines were seized.
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| c. 1990 |
On June 8, 1993 Tozzi was found murdered inside his East Village apartment. He had been shot once at close range in the back of the head.
The murder was not sanctioned by Family Boss Joseph Massino, released from Federal prison the prior November and then in the midst of fully re-organizing the Family. According to his brother-in-law Salvatore Vitale, who was appointed to the position of Underboss around the same time, Massino suspected 'Joe Giganti' of committing the murder but didn't have enough proof to act. This may be a reference to Joseph Benanti, a Bonanno Soldier and close associate of Consigliere Anthony Spero. Benanti and a crew of associates from Bath Ave were responsible for multiple murders in the same time frame, and Tozzi was a known associate of that crowd.
Tozzi's wake was held from Guidetti Funeral Home at 33 Spring St in Little Italy, Manhattan.