It appears that some of hitman Tony Spilotro’s work was exposed by receding water levels at Lake Mead, stuffed in a barrel. You probably never heard of him. Then again, if you’ve ever seen the 1995 mob classic “Casino,” Joe Pesci played Nicky Santoro, a fictionalized version of the infamous killer.
Hitman linked to victim
While authorities are still puzzling over who’s remains were discovered, they narrowed it down to three possibilities, all linked to the same hitman, Tony Spilotro. His MO is all over it and everything matches.
Detectives were amazed at how durable Kmart clothes from the 1970’s are. They provide the biggest set of clues helping to rule out potential victims from the options available.
As soon as the remains were noticed on May 1, everyone figured it was a mob hit. The hitman shot the victim in the head, “execution-style.”
Dropping drum-encased bodies off a boat was a popular pastime for Vegas gangsters, back in the day. Nobody expected the lake to ever get this low, it was dumped in 100 feet of water.
It was easy for the forensic lab to identify the polyester clad skeleton’s fashion designer as Kmart. The shirt, belt and shoes are 1977 classics.
He must have been wearing jeans. “Far from the choice attire of a high-rolling, fashion-conscious mobster.” That’s the first clue to narrow things down. While they may be fuzzy on identifying the victim, detectives are certain they know the hitman.
Street crime and killings
When the killing occurred, Las Vegas was at the peak of “an era of unprecedented street crime and underworld killings.” Hitman Tony Spilotro was responsible for a lot of it.
“Three men, each with links to the mob, disappeared at that time and their bodies were never found.” Killing people in the city was frowned upon. That’s when they started going in the lake.
Slot machine cheater George ‘Jay’ Vandermark was trusted by the mob to oversee the one armed bandit operation at the Stardust, until he double crossed them. William Crespo was a drug-runner turned rat who never made it to trial.
Lead candidate Johnny Pappas fits the bill as someone who would get caught dead wearing Kmart clothes. He also owned a boat on Lake Mead and had an appointment to show it for sale the night he went missing. The same hitman knew them all well.
All three men were linked to Argent Corp. who was the front company for the most powerful mob operation in Vegas. Hitman Tony Spilotro worked for them. He’s a suspect “in almost 20 mob-related murders and disappearances from 1975 to 1977.” All he needed was “.22-caliber pistol, equipped with a suppressor.”
While the Cosa Nostra skimmed a cut off the top of the Stardust and other top casinos, a crime wave hit the streets. “perpetrated by loan sharks, burglars, arsonists, gaming cheats, unlicensed bookmakers, shakedown artists, pimps, streetwalkers and drug dealers.“
