That's an all too familiar story in the neighborhood I grew up in, buddy. But the truth of the matter is, loan shark and gambling debtors are rarely killed. The old saying "dead men can't pay" is really true. And wiseguys want their money.
There really is no honor among these people. They prey on people who have vices and faults, and they don't even help each other.
An ancestor of mine was a wiseguy of sorts. Very well respected. Was arrested in the early '30s as being a member of an arson ring. Was also known as a bookie, but I suspect he may have been more given Meyer Lanksky was a guest at his house on several occasions (but I've looked this ancestor's name up and came up empty). Had a brass horse made to commemorate one of his horses. When arrested for the arson burst, he stood up, stayed quiet, and did 5 years. And during those five years, his wife and their small children got NO help; His wife had to get a job, etc. Decades after he died, his name still carried clout and respect in his neighborhood, but when the chips were down--when he was in the can after staying quiet--his family got no help.
That single act of "betrayal" as it were by guys who were supposed to take care of his family inspired his son to never even flirt with being in OC.
