Gaetano Reina (; September 27, 1889 – February 26, 1930) was an Italian-American gangster. He was an early American Mafia crime boss who was the founder of what has for many years been called the Lucchese crime family in New York City.[DeVico p. 175] He led the family until his murder on February 26, 1930, on the orders of Joe Masseria.
Early years
Reina was born on September 27, 1889, in
Corleone, Sicily, to Giacomo Reina and Carmela Rumore.
[Critchley p. 86] In the early 1900s, the Reina family moved to New York City and settled on 107th Street in
Italian Harlem. Reina, along with his brother Antonio, began working with members of the Morello crime family.
He married Angelina Olivera and the couple had nine children: five sons Giacomo - who became a member of the Lucchese family - [Capeci p. 61] Henry, Sam, John and Bernard,[Critchley p. 135] Rose Bongrieco and Lucy Sterling.[DeStefano p.127]
In November 1914, wealthy poultryman Barnet Baff was murdered by competitors in the poultry industry who had hired Sicilian gunmen to commit the crime. At one point, Reina and Jack Dragna were implicated as the actual gunmen; however, it was later determined they were merely red herrings.[Critchley p. 81]
Mafia boss
Reina had long been a captain in the Morello family, being in charge of many men and operations within the Morello organization. As the Morello family fell into chaos during the 1910s, Reina, along with Salvatore D'Aquila and
Joe Masseria, split off to form their own families. Thus, by 1920, he ruled as boss of his own crime family controlling criminal operations in The Bronx and parts of East Harlem. His crime family held a monopoly over the
ice box distribution in The Bronx.
[ The American Mafia - Gaetano Reina (www.onewal.com) ] Reina's underboss was
Tommy Gagliano, a former Morello gang member.
In the late 1920s, Reina formed an alliance with Masseria, who had absorbed into his now powerful organization the remnants of the much weakened Morello family.[Critchley, (2008). p. 175] Masseria learned of Reina's betrayal and ordered Lucky Luciano to arrange Reina's murder.[Casillo p. 519]
Murder
On the evening of February 26, 1930, Reina left his mistress Marie Ennis' apartment on Sheridan Avenue in the Claremont section of the Bronx,
[Critchley p. 174-175] although other sources claim he was leaving his aunt's apartment after dinner.
[Milhorn p. 221] He was ambushed and shot in the head with a double barreled shotgun, instantly killing him.
[Maas p. 65] Some suspect
Vito Genovese[Sifakis p. 277] while others suspect
Joseph Pinzolo[Nash p. 543]as being the perpetrators. The two hit men left the weapon under a parked car and escaped.
On his body, police found a handgun and $804 in cash,
which is equivalent to $14,753 in 2025. Reina's death was one of the many factors of the start of the Castellammarese War between Masseria and Maranzano.
Reina is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York.
In popular culture
Films
Novels
-
In Martin A. Gosch and Richard Hammer's The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano (1975)
According to Charles Luciano, Reina was:
"...a man of his word, he had culture, and was a very honorable Italian."
Notes
Sources
