Renowned businessman from Bronx, Sylvester Zottola, aged 71, met an untimely, gruesome end amid a casual coffee order at a local McDonald’s drive-thru on October 4th, 2018. Jarrett J. Ferentino, a retired prosecutor, described the murder as a well-planned execution. Sylvester Zottola was ruthlessly cornered with no escape and shot multiple times, reminiscent of a hunted animal, added Ferentino. The assailant took a vantage point and fired through the passenger-side window.
The crime scene was disturbingly graphic, as narrated by former Homicide Detective Sean Butler from the New York City Police Department. Zottola was found in a pool of his blood, making it an eerie sight for the investigators. Despite the shock of the murder, regular members of the NYPD were not entirely surprised given Zottola’s history. Multiple death threats had already been hovering over him.
Sylvester Zottola was a widower living alone in an upscale neighborhood of the Bronx – Locust Point, inside a modest house. Despite his low-key abode, he didn’t stay distant from his family. Adjacent to his residence, Zottola established a waterfront compound as home for his adult offspring – Salvatore, Anthony, and Deborah.
Zottola was reputed for his priority towards family, stated Lindsay Gerdes, an ex-Assistant U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District of New York. His extensive wealth of about $40 million was bestowed with the aid of residential real estate and his unique Joker Poker gambling machines. These machines were tactfully installed in eateries and social clubs around the city.
His sons played an intrinsic role in managing the financial empires. While Salvatore was at the helm of the gaming venture, Anthony assuaged the workings of the real estate divide. Public rumors were rife about Zottola’s associations with the notorious Bonanno crime family. Consequently, the murder case was allotted to a special detective task force by NYPD with collaboration from FBI to investigate potential mob links.
However, a comprehensive inquiry dispelled any linkage between Zottola’s murder and the five families of the mob, as stated by Butler. This led the detectives to minutely investigate the prior death threats that Zottola had faced. A flashpoint was recorded on September 8, 2017, when a young unknown man inquired Zottola about job vacancies before assaulting him ruthlessly, leaving him with a broken rib.
Another incident unfolded on November 26, 2017. Zottola claimed that a group of masked men tried to kidnap him while he was in his vehicle. They weren’t successful as Zottola managed to evade them and made it to safety. Later, on December 27, 2017, Zottola experienced a life-threatening attack.
During the December incident, Zottola was brutally assaulted by a group at his own home who trussed him up and persistently demanded money. One of the intrusive strangers then slit his throat. The rescue came in the nick of time as Zottola’s cries for assistance were heard by a neighbor, leading to the intervention of emergency services.
Following the horrifying attack, Zottola chose to live covertly and only his closest family and friends were aware of his whereabouts. Gerdes mentioned, ‘The family was traumatized, their daily life overshadowed by fear. They were always on edge, especially due to the presence of children in the family.’
On June 12, 2018, Zottola resurfaced, only to be targeted again. As he stood outside his home, an assailant attempted to shoot him down. But the gun failed in its operation. A month later, Zottola’s son, Salvatore, narrowly escaped a deadly ambush wherein he was shot.
A significant turning point in the case occurred a day after Zottola’s execution. Detectives discovered a GPS tracking device concealed in a wheel well of Zottola’s car. The device indicated a methodically planned murder. The investigation concentrated on the tracker’s SIM card to identify the people responsible for implanting it.
Closer examination of the GPS data unraveled the information that the tracker was activated two days prior to the horrific homicide. This newly found clue led the detectives to Topping Ave in the Bronx. However, the surveillance footage they retrieved was inconclusive as it did not directly link any suspicious activity to Zottola’s vehicle.
A $10,000 cash reward was alleged to the crime during one of the interrogations. Moreover, two individuals, Shelton and Ross, were introduced in the alibi. A breakthrough in the case came with the meddling of a mobile phone that contained textual hints, directing the investigation to the horrifying mastermind – Anthony Zottola, the victim’s son.
After Sylvester was fatally shot, a suspect allegedly placed a call to Anthony, conveying that the task had been accomplished successfully. Following this revelation, Anthony Zottola was formally accused of hiring a murder on June 17, 2019. His trial later unwrapped in August 2022.
Finally, the suspects pleaded guilty to the charge of murder-for-hire. All involved were given heavy sentences – they received 37 years of imprisonment. However, Anthony was handed the strictest sentence. His penalty dictated life in prison with an additional 112 years – an allegorical reference to the sum of his father’s and brother’s ages.