Calabrian mafia scion Angelo Musitano was shot to death in the driveway of his suburban home in Hamilton’s Waterdown community Tuesday afternoon according to various reports.
According to authorities, several shots were fired at Musitano as he pulled into the driveway and he was found dead in his vehicle by emergency crews. Hamilton police are currently looking for a suspect that neighbors saw sitting in a dark-colored four-door sedan on the street seemingly waiting for Musitano to come home. Police are still actively looking for witnesses and looking over security camera footage from the area hoping it may contain additional information. Authorities believe this was a targeted attack and that there is no immediate threat to the public
“Pat Musitano and Angelo Musitano”
(Ron pozzer / the hamilton spectator file photo)
The 39-year-old mobster was a member of the notorious Musitano crime family a Ndrangheta clan which has long been an influential part of the Ontario underworld. The long time Calabrian mafia family took root in Canada back in the 1930’s when Angelo’s namesake uncle fled there from Italy. Angelo’s father Domenic Musitano took control of the organized crime family turning it into a major player that vied for power in the region. Domenic became one of the better-known mafia bosses in the city until his death from a heart attack in 1995. His two sons had both been inducted into the mafia and Angelo’s brother Pasquale “Pat” Musitano took over as boss.
The brothers were both charged with first-degree murder back in 1998 for the shooting of Hamilton mafia boss Johnny Papalia and one of his top lieutenants Carmen Barillaro in 1997. Even though the hitman for both murders turned rat and fingered Pat and Angelo for ordering the mafia hit they were able to negotiate a plea deal. They both plead guilty to conspiracy to murder Barillaro but not Papalia and were sentenced to 10 years in prison back in 2000. Angelo and his brother were released from prison in 2007.
He has been closely monitored by Hamilton police since his release which resulted in a potential parole violation just five months after being back on the streets for meeting with someone he was forbidden to contact. Police claimed that phone numbers in his cell phone along with informants was proof that he had reactivated his life of crime in the Ontario mafia. But the informant’s claims could not be corroborated and Musitano had innocent explanations for it all so he was once again released on parole. Since then Angelo has remained mostly under the radar at least publicly according to a report from esteemed journalist and reporter Adrian Humphreys of the National Post . Whether it is a coincidence or not this month marks the 20th anniversary of Papalia’s murder.
