Peter "The Killer" Abbandante

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Peter Abbandante-Abbondante a.k.a. "Pete The Killer" was a New York mobster in the Lucchese crime family who managed a mob social club and operated illegal gambling.

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[edit] Early years

Born in New York City, Abbandante grew up with mob associate Henry Hill in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. As a young man, he joined the Lucchese family and eventually became a made man, or full member. In Goodfellas when his character is introduced the voiceover by Henry Hill's character Ray Liotta says that "Pete the Killer is Sally Balls' brother". During the 1950's Abbandante worked for caporegime Paul Vario, supervising his floating craps games in Bensonhurst. Abbandante was also involved in several murders. Abbandante later became the owner of a social club in Brooklyn that was frequented by Lucchese family members and associates.

[edit] Involvement in murder

On June 12, 1966, Abbandante reportedly assisted in the murder of a robber in Bensonhurst. Theresa Bivona, a teenaged resident of the neighborhood girl, was walking home from the subway. An African-American youth was slowly following her. While this was going on, Abbandante, Henry Hill, and other Lucchese associates were watching the young man from the street. As Bivona opened the front door to her apartment building, the youth attacked her.

Henry Hill described the aftermath, "There were at least three tons of wiseguys crammed in the hallway before I got there. There were so many of them that it looked as though the hallway and stairways were made of rubber... [A]ll I could see was the top of the guy's head and arm of his sweat shirt. Then he was swept along with all the other bodies and arms and curses until he was carried up the stairs and out of sight. Abbandante, and the other identified wiseguys, Peter Morales, Frank Sorace and Edward Barberra including a dozen others, launched him off the roof of her apartment building. He came down hard and splattered all over the street."

Abbandante and the other attackers were never charged in the youth's murder. No information is available on Abbandante since 1966.

[edit] In popular culture

Abbandante is portrayed in Martin Scorsese's 1990 film Goodfellas as the character "Pete the Killer", played by Peter Cicale.

[edit] References

  • Pileggi, Nicholas, Wiseguy: Life In A Mafia Family, Corgi (1987) ISBN 055213094X