Published June 3, 2016 at 6:11 p.m. | Updated at 6:11 p.m.
Montreal Mafia: the new guard wants to make a clean sweep


The attack occurred yesterday around 16h in the Sinatra bar formerly Hillside on Fleury Street in Ahuntsic, is the latest chapter in a bloody change of guard.






The murder yesterday afternoon in Montreal, which would otherwise constitute a mistaken identity, and the murders of honorable men Rocco Sollecito and Lorenzo Giordano in recent weeks in Laval, could have the same common denominator: a decision power combined with the elimination of the old guard of the Montreal mafia, according to what the sources told La Presse .

The attack occurred yesterday around 16h in the Sinatra bar formerly Hillside on Fleury Street in Ahuntsic, is the last chapter of this change of bloody guard. "It's like trying to make a clean sweep and start again on new bases," says one observer.

Angelo D'Onofrio, 72, a regular at the cafe little or no known to police, is the latest victim of this takeover. A presumably innocent victim because police sources told La Presse that "mistaken identity is one of the most plausible theories."

white hair

In fact, according to our information, Mr. D'Onofrio would have been confused with Carmine Antonio Vanelli, 71, a man of honor and longtime associate mafioso formerly Violi then rallied to Rizzuto when they took power in early 80s Vanelli, like other individuals associated with the Calabrian mafia cell of Montreal, attended the Sinatra coffee. According to our sources, around 16h yesterday, the killer would have made certain findings which would have allowed him to believe he was there. In addition, the victim, Mr. D'Onofrio, sported a very white hair, such as Vanelli, which could have confused the shooter. But the mafioso was not present at Sinatra at that moment. Ironically, it was at Loreto Funeral Complex to offer condolences to the family of Rocco Sollecito murdered there one week.

Although Vanelli belongs to the Calabrian cell, it is considered a faithful of Rizzuto. Investigators also will not exclude the possibility that the attack that targeted may have a connection with the murder of the influential Calabrian Moreno Gallo assassinated in Mexico in 2013 for lack of loyalty.

It will see that they will be the consequences of this blunder. Especially as the Sinatra coffee belongs to a near Vanelli, former member of the Rock Machine and Hells Angels, Salvatore Brunetti. Even if it would put colors on good terms and would now be more linked to the Mafia as bikers according to police, the man still would have very close links with the Hells Angels.

Something in common

Lorenzo Giordano, whom police considered a godfather aspirant but who was killed in Laval on March 1, Rocco Sollecito, who became the highest-ranking Mafia after the natural death of Vito Rizzuto in December 2013 and who was murdered last Friday, and Antonio Vanelli all have one thing in common: they belong to the old guard of the Montreal mafia.



More than 200 people attended the funeral of Rocco Sollecito noon in the Church of Our Lady of Pompei in Montreal. Some people came to pay their last respects, we noticed the presence of members of the Rizzuto clan, whose sister of Vito Rizzuto, Maria Renda, his daughter Libertina and his wife, Giovanna Cammalleri. There were also loyal clan, Vincenzo Spagnolo and his son Nicola, the police believed, until recently at least, as a member of the Montreal Mafia direction table set up after the death of the sponsor.

Police investigators were parked not far from the church to take pictures and refresh their albums intelligence.