Richie Mazzeo (died 26 February 1945) was a soldato in the Clemente crime family who turned Government witness. He was killed by Joe Barbaro in 1945 before he was able to testify in court against the entire Clemente family.
Biography[]
Mazzeo was born to an Italian-American family in New York City. He joined the Clemente crime family, and despite becoming a soldier, had a bad reputation amongst his fellow mafiosi due to his incompetence, even being though of as a "retard", though he did manage to learn many of the family's most prized secrets. In January 1945, he was arrested by the NYPD, but got out from under his charges by agreeing to cooperate and turn on Don Alberto Clemente. He was kept hidden in a secluded location in the outskirts of New York, but on 26 February 1945, Mazzeo was tracked down by Clemente mafioso Joe Barbaro, who was acting on orders from capo Luca Gurino. Barbaro killed the police officers guarding Mazzeo, but he managed to escape in a car. Barbaro pursued him in his own vehicle, and after a long-speed chase, he shot Mazzeo to death inside his car, ensuring he would never be able to divulge any information to the authorities.