Embarrato had seen documents that indicated Mirra was a DEA informant. Embarrato went to Steve Cannone's social club and told him about it. Massino was there at the time and at that point the family administration was Rastelli as the official boss in prison, Sally Ferrugia as acting boss, Massino and George Sciascia on a panel running the family with Ferrugia, the underboss position was left vacant and Cannone was still the consigliere.
Cannone gave the order to kill Mirra and Massino agreed with it. Embarrato then carried it out with his relatives Joe D'Amico and Richard Cantarella.

Years later, Cantarella wanted to kill Embarrato because he feared he had become an informant after he didn't get caught up in legal action over the Bonanno family's involvement over newspapers. Cantarella got the okay from Sal Vitale to do the hit if he wanted to but Vitale advised against it, saying it would bring too much attention to the family to kill Embarrato because he was in his 80s. Cantarella eventually let it go and Embarrato was never hit