My father wanted to find an amicable solution with Senese. However, time ended up running out for Armando. By late December of 1986, Armando’s long struggle with cancer finally caught up with him. A couple of months later, in the second month into the New Year of 1987, Armando succumbed to metastatic bladder cancer, despite all of Mayo Clinic’s best efforts.
With him gone, there was little interest in dealing with Dominic Senese’s intransigence in a peaceful manner. For several months after Armando’s death, the rivalry between Teamsters Locals 703 and 738 intensified. Sam grew even angrier with Dominic, and I do not believe Dominic understood the full depth of Carlisi’s fury.
Not even one full year after Armando’s death, Romie, the only living partner of the old Romie and Armando partnership partook in having what we now know was considered by Sam Carlisi to be Dominic’s last supper (on or around January 21, 1988), which was held at the now original Gene & Georgetti Steakhouse in Chicago on Franklin Street. Sam was obviously keenly aware of Dominic’s dinner plans – compliments of Romie. Of course, Sam knew where Dominic lived, so having some thugs wait around for Dominic to finish his dinner with Romie would not be too complicated.
Several years ago I authored a rather basic piece on the murder attempt on Dominic Senese. Over the years I discovered information from an excellent source that made me realize that I was incorrect to have originally included John DiFronzo in the Outfit’s plan to assassinate Senese. Oddly, it seems that DiFronzo was not consulted with on the Senese matter by his then-boss, Sam Carlisi. Therefore, the alleged assassins that were usually linked to DiFronzo by default could not have been used for the Senese hit.
Since it seems Sam broke Outfit protocol by excluding his underboss, John DiFronzo, from this project, he would not be able to rely on DiFronzo’s killers for the hit on Senese. I believe that Sam would have been successful had he relied on DiFronzo’s killers. Instead, Sam gave the contract to Joe Ferriola. It’s anyone’s guess as to who Joe used in this failed matter, although I have my suspicions.
Dominic was shot in front of his Oak Brook home shortly after finishing his pre-planned dinner with Romie. We know that the murder attempt on Dominic was botched (thank God) and that Dominic lived on for a number of years.
A short number of days after the shooting, a federal grand jury was convened for the purpose of investigating the attempt on Dominic Senese’s life. It was already well known that Romie was the last person with him prior to the shooting. Therefore, Romie was subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury. He appeared with his then trusted attorney, Nick Spina (who is now disgraced, a convicted felon and disbarred, widely and appropriately despised by many). Romie took the fifth, was not given immunity, and therefore never had any real complications from the experience. The grand jury never learned of the once intimate circle of Romie Nappi, Armando Fosco, Sam Carlisi, and Charlie Nicosia, who had a number of meetings about Dominic in the months prior to the shooting.
I wish to also clarify that I have no knowledge or good reason to believe that Romie Nappi, Charlie Nicosia, or my father had any clue that Sam Carlisi was going to have Dominic shot after his January 21, 1988, dinner meeting with Romie. All that I know is that Romie mentioned his then future dinner plans with Dominic to Sam.
P.S.
It’s been a long time since I’ve written any articles for ANP. Life takes you all over the place, and that’s as true for me as it is for anyone, but somehow I keep coming back to this site and what we’ve done here. For a long time, I have been meaning to cover a few things in my now resuscitated column. Hopefully, in the coming months, I’ll be able to accomplish this goal.
Facebook has been a little more active in recent years in comments on stories, so I recommend you visit both the ANP website and our Facebook page to keep abreast of all new developments.
Thanks again for reading!
To learn even more, read this: MAFIA REPORT: CHICAGO OUTFIT
