Happy Birthday, Bill Cutolo
UPDATED, NEW PHOTO:
William Cutolo Jr. wasn't someone we'd expect to hear from.
We've written about him without reaching out for comment. In our defense, we honestly had no clue how to contact him for comment at the time, however.
What we wrote was based on information from sources and published reports.
When we initially heard from Bill, he wasn't very pleased with us.
Cut to years later. Bill is a friend. He's been very gracious, deigning to spend hours on the phone with us discussing what happened. We keep in touch primarily through texts as there's a time difference. That's how we know Bill is himself a writer, and we're hoping to share some of his stuff with you.
Bill's story is a heart-rending one involving mob treachery and murder.
William Cutolo Jr. wasn't someone we'd expect to hear from.
We've written about him without reaching out for comment. In our defense, we honestly had no clue how to contact him for comment at the time, however.
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| BILL Junior and daughter. Yes, she’s stunning. See new picture, below. |
What we wrote was based on information from sources and published reports.
When we initially heard from Bill, he wasn't very pleased with us.
Cut to years later. Bill is a friend. He's been very gracious, deigning to spend hours on the phone with us discussing what happened. We keep in touch primarily through texts as there's a time difference. That's how we know Bill is himself a writer, and we're hoping to share some of his stuff with you.
Bill's story is a heart-rending one involving mob treachery and murder.
(Due to a rare confluence of events, I've spoken with parties on all sides of the story of Wild Bill, quite literally. Cutolo's story is a fascinating, multi-levelled one with immense conflict, a natural for the big screen. It includes the third Colombo war, as Wild Bill fought fearlessly "gun-to-gun" against mobsters like Gregory Scarpa for the faction of Vittorio "Little Vic" Orena, one time acting boss of the Colombo crime family.)
His father, William (Wild Billl) Cutolo, was underboss of one of New York's Five Families, the Colombo crime family, when he suddenly disappeared. The FBI had been following him at the time. In fact, they followed him on what was later known to be the last day of his life, and had detailed knowledge of Bill's whereabouts up until he either lost them or they lost him.
We've written about what happened to Wild Bill. But our intention with this story is to let Bill Junior speak to you, in his own words.
"My father must be smiling down on us. Now we have the body. Now we have the evidence," Cutolo told the Daily News in an exclusive interview.
Alphonse (Allie Boy) Persico feared losing control of the family to Wild Bill, a charismatic rival, according to federal prosecutors.
He was found still wearing his shoes, a symbolic gesture of disrespect, in Bill Jr.'s opinion.
"When a man such as my father, a made man [is killed], the old-timers believed it was a sign of respect to remove their shoes so that when their bodies were ever found, and there were no shoes, it was a sign of respect," Cutolo said.
Federal prosecutors didn't need Wild Bill's body to convict Persico and former underboss John (Jackie) DeRoss in December 2007 of ordering the hit.
The evidence they used included incriminating tapes secretly made by the younger Cutolo - who wore a wire for the feds to avenge his father's death.
Persico's lawyer subpoenaed Cutolo, but he refused to answer questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. It was the first time he was face-to-face with Persico and DeRoss in years.
We'll be following up with Bill. He's received some news I'm not certain we can write about yet. We'll ask him.
Meanwhile, here's an excerpt from his texted reply, to give you an idea of what he's like:
THANK YOU "MY BROTHER!!!” .... We need to talk about some OTHER things. (Referring to new pic) that's my screen saver..lmao..i swear... it’s NICE to know you can still have GOOD FRIENDS TODAY w/o even the touch of a handshake....b
His father, William (Wild Billl) Cutolo, was underboss of one of New York's Five Families, the Colombo crime family, when he suddenly disappeared. The FBI had been following him at the time. In fact, they followed him on what was later known to be the last day of his life, and had detailed knowledge of Bill's whereabouts up until he either lost them or they lost him.
We've written about what happened to Wild Bill. But our intention with this story is to let Bill Junior speak to you, in his own words.
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| Bill sent pic of his screensaver. |
Billy, whatever else, takes comfort in the knowledge that he took action against those who killed his father.
While researching Bill Jr., we found an interesting interview in which he expressed incredulity about the Colombo mobsters who moved against in his father, particularly that they were stupid enough to bury his body. It was originally believed that Cutolo’s body would never be found.
While researching Bill Jr., we found an interesting interview in which he expressed incredulity about the Colombo mobsters who moved against in his father, particularly that they were stupid enough to bury his body. It was originally believed that Cutolo’s body would never be found.
"My father must be smiling down on us. Now we have the body. Now we have the evidence," Cutolo told the Daily News in an exclusive interview.
Alphonse (Allie Boy) Persico feared losing control of the family to Wild Bill, a charismatic rival, according to federal prosecutors.
 |
| Bill Jr. comforting his son after the boy got stitches. |
He was found still wearing his shoes, a symbolic gesture of disrespect, in Bill Jr.'s opinion.
"When a man such as my father, a made man [is killed], the old-timers believed it was a sign of respect to remove their shoes so that when their bodies were ever found, and there were no shoes, it was a sign of respect," Cutolo said.
Federal prosecutors didn't need Wild Bill's body to convict Persico and former underboss John (Jackie) DeRoss in December 2007 of ordering the hit.
The evidence they used included incriminating tapes secretly made by the younger Cutolo - who wore a wire for the feds to avenge his father's death.
Persico's lawyer subpoenaed Cutolo, but he refused to answer questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. It was the first time he was face-to-face with Persico and DeRoss in years.
We'll be following up with Bill. He's received some news I'm not certain we can write about yet. We'll ask him.
Meanwhile, here's an excerpt from his texted reply, to give you an idea of what he's like:
THANK YOU "MY BROTHER!!!” .... We need to talk about some OTHER things. (Referring to new pic) that's my screen saver..lmao..i swear... it’s NICE to know you can still have GOOD FRIENDS TODAY w/o even the touch of a handshake....b
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