Ernest Rupolo
Encyclopedia
Ernest "the Hawk" Rupolo (1908 – August 27, 1964) was a low-level New York mobster and hitman for the Genovese crime family
. Rupolo would later turn informant and testify against family boss Vito Genovese
.
. Boccia had collaborated with Genovese in setting up a rigged card game to cheat a prominent businessman. After the scam was completed, Boccia demanded a third of the profits. Genovese refused Boccia's demand and hired Willie Gallo and Rupolo to murder him. On September 19, 1934, Gallo and Rupolo shot Boccia to death in Brooklyn
. The body would be recovered from the Hudson River
in 1937.
to avoid trial on this case. Rupolo was given nine years in prison for the Boccia murder. In 1944, Rupolo named mobster Peter LaTempa
as a corroborating witness to Bocia's murder. Prosecutors now had a good witness to use against Genovese when they caught him.
In 1945, at the end of World War II
, Italy deported Genovese back to the U.S. and he was immediately jailed in New York. However, within a week of Genovese's arrival, key witness LaTempa was poisoned in his cell while in police protective custody. Without LaTempa's testimony, Rupolo's testimony was useless; the prosecution case for the Boccia murder collapsed, Genovese was acquitted, and then released. Soon after the Genovese trial, Rupolo petitioned the court for early release from prison. Despite warnings by authorities advising he remain in custody, Rupolo wanted to leave prison.
After his release, Rupolo tried in vain to keep a low profile and fade out of sight. A newspaper article weighed his chances: "All concerned in the release, including the 'Hawk' himself, agreed that he is now marked for murder and cannot be expected to survive long. Rupolo will make a desperate effort to disappear completely."
on national TV. In early August 1964, Rupolo disappeared.
On August 27, Rupulo's mutilated body was found on a Breezy Point beach in the Jamaica Bay
section of Queens
by Nicky Caputo, Butch Spyliopolous, Kevin McCormack and the Hyland brothers. The coroner determined the cause of death to be bullet wounds to the head, brain, neck and spine and stab wounds to the chest, lungs, heart and abdomen.
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
. Rupolo would later turn informant and testify against family boss Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
.
The Boccia murder
During the 1930s, Genovese frequently used Rupolo for murder contracts. In 1934, Genovese ordered Rupolo to kill gambler Ferdinand "The Shadow" BocciaFerdinand Boccia
Ferdinand "The Shadow" Boccia was a New York mobster and gambling racketeer who was killed by Vito Genovese, who would become a mob boss. Boccia's murder would force Genovese to flee the United States to Italy to avoid prosecution. He is the father-in-law of Andrew Ruggiano Sr...
. Boccia had collaborated with Genovese in setting up a rigged card game to cheat a prominent businessman. After the scam was completed, Boccia demanded a third of the profits. Genovese refused Boccia's demand and hired Willie Gallo and Rupolo to murder him. On September 19, 1934, Gallo and Rupolo shot Boccia to death in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. The body would be recovered from the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in 1937.
Informant
Several years after the Boccia murder, Rupolo was arrested for the attempted murder of another mobster. Assured by his crime family that the victim would withdraw the charges, Rupolo turned himself in to the police. When the victim did not drop the charges, Rupolo felt betrayed by the family. Wanting to avoid 48 years in prison, Rupolo confessed to the Boccia murder and implicated Genovese in it. However, when the case came to trial, the court ruled that Rupolo's testimony was unreliable. In 1937, Genovese was forced to flee to ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to avoid trial on this case. Rupolo was given nine years in prison for the Boccia murder. In 1944, Rupolo named mobster Peter LaTempa
Peter LaTempa
Peter LaTempa was a New York mobster and associate of the Genovese crime family, who later agreed to become a government witness against Vito Genovese....
as a corroborating witness to Bocia's murder. Prosecutors now had a good witness to use against Genovese when they caught him.
In 1945, at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Italy deported Genovese back to the U.S. and he was immediately jailed in New York. However, within a week of Genovese's arrival, key witness LaTempa was poisoned in his cell while in police protective custody. Without LaTempa's testimony, Rupolo's testimony was useless; the prosecution case for the Boccia murder collapsed, Genovese was acquitted, and then released. Soon after the Genovese trial, Rupolo petitioned the court for early release from prison. Despite warnings by authorities advising he remain in custody, Rupolo wanted to leave prison.
After his release, Rupolo tried in vain to keep a low profile and fade out of sight. A newspaper article weighed his chances: "All concerned in the release, including the 'Hawk' himself, agreed that he is now marked for murder and cannot be expected to survive long. Rupolo will make a desperate effort to disappear completely."
Death
Genovese did not take revenge immediately on Rupolo, preferring to let Rupolo live his life in terror. In 1959, Genovese was jailed on an unrelated charge. At that point, he finally ordered a hit on Rupolo. This decision might have been prompted by the recent testimony of government informant Joe ValachiJoe Valachi
Joseph "Joe Cargo" Valachi , Italian American, also known as "Charles Chanbano" and "Anthony Sorge" was the first Mafia member to publicly acknowledge the existence of the Mafia. He is also the person who made Cosa Nostra a household name.-Career:Joseph Valachi was born in East Harlem, New York...
on national TV. In early August 1964, Rupolo disappeared.
On August 27, Rupulo's mutilated body was found on a Breezy Point beach in the Jamaica Bay
Jamaica Bay
Jamaica Bay is located on the southwestern tip of Long Island in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, and the town of Hempstead, New York/hamlet of Inwood...
section of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
by Nicky Caputo, Butch Spyliopolous, Kevin McCormack and the Hyland brothers. The coroner determined the cause of death to be bullet wounds to the head, brain, neck and spine and stab wounds to the chest, lungs, heart and abdomen.