Joseph Pinzolo
c. 1887 to Sept. 9, 1930.
Pinzolo had an extremely short career as a Mafia Family boss in 1930.
"Joe the Boss" Masseria is believed to have been responsible for ordering the killing of Bronx boss Tom Reina outside of his home at 1521 Sheridan Ave. on Feb. 26, 1930. Reina had been sympathetic to the Castellammarese cause, and Masseria believed he was supporting Masseria rival Salvatore Maranzano.
Upon Reina's death, Masseria disregarded Reina underboss Gaetano Gagliano and appointed his own ally Joe Pinzolo (who hadn't been part of the Bronx Family previously) as boss of the Reina gang. That move, one of the terrible Masseria miscalculations that set off the Castellammarese War, sent Gagliano and his Reina Family allies immediately into the waiting arms of Maranzano.
In early September, Gagliano men brought Pinzolo to some offices belonging to Tommy Lucchese at 1487 Broadway and shot him in the chest and neck. One of the shooters was reportedly Bobby Doyle. The purpose of the killing was largely symbolic, as Pinzolo had previously lost virtually all support from Reina's former organization.
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