Morrie Kessler (30 December 1919-4 January 1979) was an associate of the Lucchese crime family and the owner of a wig shop in New York City. He was murdered by Jimmy Conway for repeatedly bothering him about getting his money back.
Biography[]
Morrie Kessler was born in Passaic, New Jersey to a family of Russian-Jewish immigrants. His family moved to Valley Stream, New York, and Krugman married a Long Island-born Polish-American named Frances in 1954; they were happily married, but Kessler became a womanizer. In 1970, he opened his own hair salon and wig accessories store, both called "For Men Only", using a bridge loan. He became acquainted with the Lucchese crime family member Henry Hill and soon became involved with organized crime, becoming an independent bookmaker. Kessler was good friends with Hill, but Hill's friend Jimmy Conway hated him, as Conway believed that Kessler was withholding money from him, despite having won a sports bet. Kessler would frequently demand his money back from Conway after Conway cut an unfair deal with him, and Kessler became a large annoyance. He helped to set up the Lufthansa heist and demanded a $500,000 cut, but he now started to pester Conway about this as well.
Death[]
Kessler dead in the front seat
On the night of 4 January 1979, Conway decided to have Kessler murdered, taking a thorn out of his side. Kessler spent the entire day playing poker and drinking with Conway, Hill, Tommy DeVito, and Frankie Carbone, and Hill persuaded Kessler to calm down about the money; a cheerful Kessler then walked away. Conway told Kessler that they were leaving for a diner, but he secretly knew that Kessler would be killed before they even left. Kessler entered Conway's car, sitting on the passenger side, with DeVito sitting behind him, Carbone on the left seat, and Conway at the wheel. As the engine started, DeVito stabbed Kessler in the back of the head with an ice pick, killing him. His body was dismembered and buried at Asaro's construction site in Jamaica, Queens.