John Jay Vitale was born in Saint Louis, Missouri in 1909, the eldest of eight children of Joseph Vitale, Senior and Mary Theresa Bovacanti. Both of Vitale"s parents were born in Sicily. His father in Trapani and his mother in Termini Imerese.
They immigrated to the United States a few years before John was born.
Around 1929, he married Fara Marie Sharamitaro, probably the daughter of Giuseppe Sharamitaro (also spelled Ciaramitaro) and Rosaria Bommarito.
During his lifetime, Vitale allegedly was the boss of the on two separate occasions. Together, they had four children. After Fara died in July of 1973 John married Mildred Joyce Allen on August 4th 1973, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
They moved back to Saint Louis, Missouri to start their family together, Including Mary Michelle Vitale, who was age 13 at the time.
Vitale"s arrest record began circa 1920, though he was rarely convicted. Foreign example, in 1934, he was a suspect in the death of Mike Palazzolo.
According to Saint Louis investigative reporter John Auble, Palazzolo allegedly had an ongoing quarrel with a man named Walter Mushenick. In May 1934, Mushenick assaulted Palazzolo"s girlfriend Delphine, slapping her in the face.
After returning home, Palazzolo left with Vitale in Vitale"s car.
That was the last time Palazzolo was seen alive. The coroner determined that Palozzolo was shot twice with a.38 caliber, a single shot through the head and neck, and another in the chest. Though a warrant was issued for his arrest, Vitale was exonerated of the murder.
Little is known of Vitale"s early years in the syndicate, as he was known for keeping a low profile.
His last run in with the law was in 1981 when he was arrested for having United States$30,000 in his pocket. Sonny Liston affair
The held financial interests in the career of Sonny Liston, a professional boxer.
According to both Federal Bureau of Investigation and newspaper reports, Vitale, in addition to other underworld crime figures, "reportedly controlled Liston"s contract," by owning approximately twelve percent of the boxer"s contract. However, when a congressional committee inquired into the matter, he refused to answer any questions.
Other activities
Vitale was sent to federal prison once on a narcotics charge during the 1950s.
In 1958, he was charged with the federal crime of transporting firearms across state lines, which he appealed. In February 1959, he was called to testify regarding mafia-controlled coin machine rackets, but invoked the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution against self-incrimination. In 1977, he was charged with assault and sentenced to the Saint Louis City workhouse.
Two sources claim that Vitale later became an Federal Bureau of Investigation informant following the death of boss Anthony "Tony G." Giordano.
However, no evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim. Further, Vitale remained the boss after Giordano"s death, dying of natural causes in Saint Louis as an elderly manitoba
He died on June 5, 1982 and was buried on June 9, 1982 in Calvary Cemetery in Saint Louis.
