Salvatore Testa

Salvatore "Salvie" Testa (March 31, 1956 – September 14, 1984), nicknamed "The Crowned Prince of the Philadelphia Mob", was an Italian-American mobster who served as a caporegime and later acting underboss for the Philadelphia crime family. Testa made his reputation as a hitman for the Philadelphia family during a period of internal gang conflict. The son of former boss Philip “The Chicken Man” Testa, Salvatore Testa was an emerging figure in the mob until he was killed on the orders of boss Nicodemo Scarfo.

Salvatore Testa
Born(1956-03-31)March 31, 1956
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedSeptember 14, 1984(1984-09-14) (aged 28)
Gloucester Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Cause of deathGunshot
Resting placeHoly Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other namesSalvie, The Crowned Prince of the Philadelphia Mob, Brownie, The Chicken Wing
Occupation(s)Hitman, mobster
ParentPhilip Testa
AllegiancePhiladelphia crime family

Biography

Born on March 31, 1956, in Southwest Philadelphia, Testa was the son of Alfia Arcidiacono (1926–1980) and Philip "Chicken Man" Testa (1924–1981), a member of the Philadelphia crime family that served under Angelo Bruno. In 1974 he graduated from Saint John Neumann High School and he attended Temple University in Philadelphia for a year, and then went into the real estate business. Testa had one sister, Maria, who managed a Center City nightclub and restaurant. In March 1980, longtime family boss Angelo Bruno was murdered and Testa's father became boss. The death of Bruno triggered a violent civil war in the family between factions loyal to Harry Riccobene and Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo, who controlled the family's Atlantic City operations.

Testa was inducted as a "made man" in the Philadelphia branch of Cosa Nostra in June 1980 in an initiation ceremony conducted by Phil Testa and his underboss, Peter Cassella.[1]

On March 15, 1981, Testa's father returned to his home in South Philadelphia that was across the street from the scenic Stephen Girard Park. As he was opening the door to his home, a nail bomb exploded under his front porch.[2] His death was allegedly ordered by his underboss and drug trafficker Peter Casella and capo Frank Narducci Sr., which later resulted in Narducci being gunned down and Casella being banished from the Mob and fleeing to Florida.

Scarfo took over the crime family following Philip Testa's death, and he promoted Salvatore Merlino to underboss. On July 31, 1982, Salvatore Testa was wounded near his home in the Italian Market section by shotgun blasts fired from a speeding car.[3] In 1984, Testa broke off his engagement to Merlino's daughter. Enraged, Merlino got permission from Scarfo to murder Testa, despite him being a loyal member of the crime family. However, Merlino developed a drinking problem, which caused Scarfo to demote Merlino and cut off ties with him.

Death and aftermath

In 1984, Scarfo ordered the death of Testa, one of his capos and his top hitman, as Testa's ambition and growing popularity made Scarfo feel threatened.[4] On September 14, 1984, Testa was found shot to death at the side of a road in Gloucester Township, New Jersey.[5] About 300 people attended Testa's funeral procession on September 20, 1984, at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Philadelphia's Italian Market section.[6] He was interred alongside his father, Philip, and mother, Alfia, at the family plot at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania.

As a result of Salvatore Testa's murder, Scarfo gained a reputation for disloyalty, and several criminal organizations across the United States began to distrust him.[7]

References
  1. Organized Crime in Pennsylvania: A Decade of Change p. 175, Pennsylvania Crime Commission (1990) Archived November 10, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Capuzzo, Michael "The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes Gather to Solve the World's Most Perplexing Cold Cases" p. 189. New York: Gotham Books. 2010
  3. "Salvatore Testa, son of slain reputed mob boss Philip..." UPI.
  4. "The Story Of Sal Testa, Former Scarfo Protege". Philly.com. Michael B. Coakley. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  5. "Crime Figure's Son Slain in Jersey". September 16, 1984 – via NYTimes.com.
  6. "Salvatore Testa, Buried; Reputed to Be Crime Leader". September 21, 1984 – via NYTimes.com.
  7. "What happened to the Scarfo crime family?". Press of Atlantic City. Donna Weaver & Brian Ianieri. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  • Anastasia, George, Blood and Honor: Inside the Scarfo Mob - The Mafia's Most Violent Family (2004) ISBN 0-940159-86-4
  • Caba, Susan The Slaying of Testa, from a Sister's View May 3, 1988 Philadelphia Inquirer
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