As Gambino aged and his health declined, he had to consider who might replace him as head of the family. Dellacroce was a mentor to Gambino boss John Gotti. Dellacroce was a tall, broad-shouldered man who was usually chomping on a cigar. When Castellano officially took control of the Gambino family, he recognized Dellacroce’s service by giving him control a significant number of the family’s crews. In 1976, Carlo Gambino died of natural causes, a heart attack. Also, Dellacroce was indicted on federal racketeering charges regarding the activities of two crews in the New York and Long Island area over the previous 18 years. He recruited look-alikes to lead the police on chases across town as he quietly ran his operation in the shadows. Gotti and Ruggiero moved quickly against Castellano shortly after Aniello Dellacroce’s death. George Silk/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty ImagesDetectives take notes and examine the barbershop of New York’s Park Sheraton Hotel, where the body of Albert Anastasia lies partially covered on the floor after his murder by unknown gunmen on Oct. 25, 1957. You could see how frightening they were, the frigid glare of a killer." In December 1985, Gotti’s beloved boss Neil Dellacroce died of natural causes. Adding insult to injury, Castellano neither visited Dellacroce when he was sick or attended his funeral. They had bad eyes, I mean, they had the eyes of killers. The deceased “Dapper Don” was accused of fathering a love child with Grillo’s daughter Meagan, by mob rat “Mikey Scars” DiLeonardo during his turncoat testimony at Junior Gotti’s trial in a Manhattan court . “Dellacroce was one of the scariest individuals I’ve ever met in my life,” said one mob investigator. Aniello Dellacroce was born in 1914, the son of Italian immigrants in New York who grew up in Little Italy. 8733, citing Saint John Cemetery, Middle Village, Queens County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave . Carmine Galante-Wikipedia. During the early years of his career, Dellacroce built up a reputation as a clever and extremely brutal gangster. Aniello Dellacroce served for decades as the underboss to the new Gambino family. “I told him, ‘Neil is not going to like this,'” a detective said to Gotti upon the prosecution, “and it was the only time I’ve ever seen him look remorseful.” It is evident from this fact that despite his gossip, Gotti had some real respect for Dellacroce. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Neill “The Hat” Dellacroce (15 Mar 1914–2 Dec 1985), Find a Grave Memorial no. Did you ever see Children of the Damned? It was like looking right through him.” He used to dress as a priest to avoid attention, call himself “Father O’Neil,” and cheerfully greeted policemen on their beats. He is in gambling, shylocking, and extortion and strong arm. Dec. 16, 1985. He soon became a protégé of underboss Albert Anastasia. Daily NewsJohn Gotti and other members of the Gambino family, photographed by FBI surveillance outside of the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club in Ozone Park, Queens. Aniello John “Neil” Dellacroce (March 15, 1914 – December 2, 1985), also known as “Mr. The 1963 Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics hearings had this to say about Mr. Neil: “Aniello Dellacroce, he is known as O’Neil. … Angelo was stripped from his position as capo and spent the next couple years … Aniello John "Mr. Neil" Dellacroce (March 15, 1914 – December 2, 1985), also known as "Father O'Neil" and "The Tall Guy", was an Italian-American gangster and underboss of the Gambino crime family.He rose to the position of underboss when Carlo Gambino moved Joseph Biondo aside. In doing this, Castellano inadvertently created a competing faction within his family of those most loyal to Dellacroce. Dellacroce first studied the craft of organized crime under New York gangster Albert Anastasia, the self-proclaimed “Executioner.” Dellacroce followed him into the Vincent Mangano crime family, which later became the infamous Gambino family. Dellacroce was born in New York to Francesco and Antoinette Dellacroce, first generation immigrants from Veneto, Italy. “Dellacroce was one of the scariest individuals I’ve ever met in my life. The Brooklyn-born … In turn, Dellacroce respected Gotti’s potential. It may have been Dellacroce’s influence that made Gotti such an unusual figure in modern organized crime. One of Gotti’s associates was eventually arrested for heroin dealing. John Pedin/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesCasket containing the body of Aniello Dellacroce carried from Old St. Patrick’s Church on Mott St. after his funeral on Dec. 4, 1985. Castellano’s suspicion immediately fell upon Gotti himself, and also his close friend Angelo Ruggiero. Aniello Dellacroce’s Early Antics Aniello Dellacroce was born in 1914, the son of Italian immigrants in New York who grew up in Little Italy. Gambino was suspected of plotting Anastasia’s murder with Luciano crime family boss Gaetano Lucchese and Luciano crime family capo Vito Genovese. Side Note: In the Italian language his first and surname literally means “little lamb of the cross” – Aniello (lamb) – Della (of the) – Croce (cross)… hence Aniello Dellacroce. A Young Dellacroce with Frank Sinatra Dellacroce was popular with Hollywood and still managed to stay out of law enforcement’s radar, but in 1971 after being summoned to appear before a grand jury, Dellacroce refused to answer any questions about … Neil” Dellacroce was born March 15th 1914 in New York City, being 5’10 and broad shouldered, Dellacroce was often seen with organized crime figures such as the likes of Carlo Gambino, Tommy Lucchese and Albert Anastasia. Before his Gambino days, Dellacroce was a part of the Mangano crime family in the 1930s. “I’ve been tryin’ to take your part with these tapes from the very, very beginning . Dellacroce’s eyes were like he didn’t have any eyes. They had bad eyes, I mean, they had the eyes of killers. After Anastasia’s murder in 1957 Carlo Gambino became boss. Dellacroce had one brother Carmine and was the uncle of Angelo and Salvatore Ruggiero. He was buried at St. John’s Cemetery in Queens. Aniello Dellacroce was one and In the late 1930s, Dellacroce joined the Mangano crime family, forerunner of the Gambino family. On one occasion, Dellacroce found two policemen taping him and reportedly forced the officers to eat the tape at gunpoint. Detectives take notes and examine the barbershop of New York’s Park Sheraton Hotel, where the body of Albert Anastasia lies partially covered on the floor after his murder by unknown gunmen on Oct. 25, 1957. It was like looking right through him." Dellacroce continued to show cleverness as underboss. Casket containing the body of Aniello Dellacroce carried from Old St. Patrick’s Church on Mott St. after his funeral on Dec. 4, 1985. He had a reputation similar to Lilo as one of the toughest and most deadly adversaries if he was your enemy. Dellacroce was a strong Anastasia supporter yet an old-school mobster who believed in loyalty to the family and its boss, who now was Carlo Gambino. As always, Dellacroce faithfully pledged his loyalty to the boss, now Paul Castellano. His nickname was "Neil", an Americanization of "Aniello". Of all the gangsters that I’ve met personally and I’ve met dozens of them in all of my years there were only two who when I look them straight in the eyes I decided I wouldn’t want them personally mad at me. Despite the fact that Paul was a good earner for the family, many saw him as a business man rather than a gangster. “Dellacroce was one of the scariest individuals I’ve ever met in my life. They had bad eyes, I mean, they had the eyes of killers. When tapes from prosecutors revealed Ruggiero had been insulting Castellano, Dellacroce refused to turn the tapes over to the Gambino family head, knowing that Castellano would kill Ruggiero. No drug dealing in the family, PERIOD!! He was made in 1988 and became part of Jackie ‘Nose’ D’Amico’s crew. He continually pushed the idea that Gotti should eventually take over control of his crews. That life treated him well as he earned a healthy income from illegal gambling and racketeering. In spite of the loyalty he felt to Anastasia and the rumors surrounding his death, Aniello Dellacroce believed that the family always came first. Aniello John Dellacroce ou Aniello « Neil » Dellacroce, également connu sous les pseudonymes de Father Neil, The Tall Guy, et The Pollack (né le 15 mars 1914 en Vénétie - mort le 2 décembre 1985) était un gangster italo-américain, qui fut le Sottocapo (sous-chef) de la famille Gambino de 1957 à 1985.. Biographie Aniello (O’Neill) Dellacroce – aka “O’Neil”, “Mr. Dellacroce's eyes were, like, he didn't have any eyes. Did you ever see ‘Children of the Damed?’ His eyes were so blue that they weren’t even there. Aniello “Mr. Dellacroce’s eyes were like he didn’t have any eyes. Loyal as ever, Dellacroce accepted the decision. He was the mentor to John Gotti who would later become boss of the family.. . Eventually John Gotti completely blackballed Ruggiero and strongly considered killing his longtime friend. Dellacroce seemed also to have shared some of Ruggiero’s distaste for Castellano. “His eyes had no color… as if his soul was transparent”. Nov 24, 2018 - Gambino soldier Ernest Grillo. In addition, Dellacroce would also control family business-robbery, hijacking in extortion in Manhattan. With Aniello Dellacroce’s death, the fragile balance that kept violence in check within the Gambino family was shattered. Dellacroce filled Gotti’s head with tales of life in the old Mafia under Anastasia. Castellano was gunned down outside a Manhattan restaurant and Gotti could subsequently take complete control of the Gambino family. He eventually settled on a young man named John Gotti, who had long been an associate with the Gambino family. He took over the underboss role from Joseph Biondo in 1965 and became a mentor to future Gambino boss, John Gotti. Paul could not be bothered, he was still in the middle of the car case and also battling another investigation, the Commission case. Aniello John "Neil" Dellacroce (March 15, 1914 – December 2, 1985), ... they had the eyes of killers. His mediation kept the Gambino family from dissolving into civil war, and Castellano from murdering his crew members.