Bill knew he was going to get whacked, see below:

""On the first day of the federal case against Persico, prosecutors quickly established a motive for the killing of Cutolo, whose body has never been found. Anthony Rotondo, a DeCavalcante capo turned government informer, told of numerous dealings and meetings he had with Wild Bill and his crew members before, during, and after the war.

Rotondo testified that he heard Cutolo refer to the elder Persico as a "rat" for admitting the existence of the Mafia during the historic 1985 Commission case. The witness also described Wild Bill as a Brooklyn-based "tough guy" who headed a murderous crew that killed several Persico loyalists during the 1990s conflict.

The Brooklyn-born Rotondo said his family followed the lead of late Gambino boss John Gotti and supported Cutolo's faction, headed by Victor "Little" Vic Orena. During the war, he said, he often met with Cutolo and others at various places in Brooklyn for news about the conflict and to stay abreast of several rackets his family shared with Cutolo and his crew.

Under questioning by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katya Jestin, he also related that Wild Bill had predicted his own demise in 1998 soon after he was elevated to underboss from capo and Rotondo saw him "strutting around like a rooster."

The forecast came after Alphonse Persico had asked the new underboss for an accounting of all his money-making rackets, Rotondo testified, recalling that when Wild Bill related the story, he added: "You know what's happening next."

Prompted by Ms. Jestin to explain his understanding of that last remark, Rotondo said: "Billy wouldn't be around too long."

http://www.nysun.com/new-york/they-got-to-let-go-gotti-says-after-mistrial/40588/