The orders to whack Cutolo Sr most probably came from Persico Sr himself. Whacking people or demoting them within the Colombo Family has been/still is (?) a Carmine Persico trade mark. Numerous of top Colombo guys have been killed or demoted due to Persico´s insecurity and will to hold on to the top spot. Andy "Mush" Russo (in the early 1980s), Sonny Franzese, Charlie "Moose" Panarella, Jimmy "Brown" Clemenza, Sal Profaci, Tommy "Shorty" Spero, Jimmy Angellino, Joe "T" Tomasello and Benny Aloi comes to mind. And of course, Cutolo Sr who served as official underboss in the late 1980s but demoted because Persico feared Cutolo Sr had gained too much power.