Frank Gotti
In the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York, the name John Favara became synonymous with a chilling and unresolved disappearance linked to one of America’s most infamous crime families. The story of John Favara is inextricably intertwined with the tragic death of Frank Gotti, the young son of notorious Mafia boss John Gotti. This incident in 1980 set in motion a series of events that culminated in Favara’s vanishing, leaving behind a legacy of unanswered questions and grim speculation about the reach and ruthlessness of the Gotti organization.
The Heartbreaking Accident of Frank Gotti
Frank Gotti, just 12 years old, was a typical kid enjoying the simple pleasures of childhood. He loved sports, his friends, and the freedom of riding his bike around his neighborhood. On March 18, 1980, young Frank’s exuberance over making the school football team led him outside for a bike ride, a decision that tragically altered the lives of many and cemented John Favara’s name in mob lore.
John Favara, a neighbor, was driving on 87th Street in Howard Beach when his car struck Frank Gotti. Eyewitness accounts from the time paint a disturbing picture: Favara, allegedly intoxicated, didn’t immediately realize he had hit the boy. Tragically, Frank became pinned under the vehicle, and Favara continued driving for approximately 200 feet as horrified neighbors screamed and tried to get him to stop. The gruesome scene left a trail of Frank Gotti’s blood marking the street, a stark testament to the severity of the accident.
At this time, John Gotti was already ascending in the ranks of the New York Mafia. Having recently been released from prison and becoming a “made man” in the Gambino crime family, Gotti was establishing his fearsome reputation. However, the rules of the underworld seemed to hold little sway over the raw emotions of a father grieving his son. Instead of remorse, witnesses reported that John Favara displayed a shocking lack of empathy, allegedly making callous remarks about Frank’s behavior and notably failing to clean the bloodstains from his car, a constant, grim reminder for the grieving Gotti family.
When Frank Gotti succumbed to his injuries, John Gotti, in a display of paternal grief and perhaps something more calculated, booked a family trip to Florida. It was during this period of supposed mourning that John Favara disappeared without a trace, fueling decades of speculation and solidifying the dark legend surrounding the Gotti family.
John Gotti And Sammy The Bull
The Shadow of the Gambino Family and a Father’s Grief
Frank Gotti’s young life was framed by his father’s growing involvement in organized crime. Born in 1968, the year of John Gotti’s first major arrest, Frank’s childhood existed alongside the burgeoning criminal empire of his father. John Gotti’s rise through the Gambino ranks, under the mentorship of Aniello Dellacroce, saw him engaged in lucrative but illicit activities like loansharking, drug trafficking, and racketeering. Yet, none of this underworld power could shield him from the profound pain of losing a child.
The day of the accident, March 18, 1980, started with joy. Frank had made the football team and was excitedly anticipating practice. That afternoon, borrowing a dirt bike from a friend, Kevin McMahon, Frank was seen by his sister, Victoria Gotti, who reminded him to be home for dinner. Tragically, that dinner would never happen. A phone call to the Gotti household delivered the devastating news of the accident, forever altering the family’s trajectory.
Neighbors recounted the horrific scene of Frank Gotti being dragged under Favara’s car for an entire block. It was only after frantic shouts, window banging, and even someone climbing onto the car’s hood that Favara finally stopped in front of the Lucisano residence. Frank’s mother, Victoria DiGiorgio, and sister arrived at the scene to witness the aftermath of the tragedy as Frank was taken away by ambulance. Favara’s alleged drunken outburst at the scene, questioning Frank’s presence in the street, further inflamed the already volatile situation.
The Enigma of John Favara’s Disappearance
John Gotti’s immediate reaction to the news was reportedly uncharacteristic fear. Victoria Gotti recalled her father expressing fear “for the first time in my whole life” as they waited at the hospital. The doctors’ confirmation of Frank’s death and the somber task of identifying his body marked a turning point. While outwardly composed, Gotti’s internal turmoil must have been immense. His wife, Victoria DiGiorgio, was consumed by grief, reportedly attempting self-harm in her despair.
In the days following Frank’s funeral, insensitive actions further escalated tensions. Kevin McMahon, the boy who owned the bike, reportedly visited the Gotti home seeking compensation for the damaged bike, a jarringly inappropriate request in the face of such grief. Neighbors also recounted hearing loud music and laughter emanating from the Favara residence. One night, Victoria DiGiorgio, fueled by rage and grief, confronted John Favara, damaging his blood-stained car with a baseball bat. Favara’s dismissive and allegedly grinning reaction during this confrontation reportedly further enraged the Gotti family.
Shortly after, John and Victoria Gotti left for Florida, ostensibly to grieve away from the painful reminders in Howard Beach. Upon their return on August 4th, they were met by FBI agents investigating the disappearance of John Favara, who vanished on July 28th. Witnesses claimed to have seen Favara being forced into a van after a beating. When questioned, John Gotti famously feigned ignorance, stating, “Really? I wish I could help you gentlemen, but I’m sorry. I know nothing about this.”
Men Who May Have Killed John Favara
Unraveling the Mystery: Theories and Speculation
Despite the Gotti family’s claims of Favara being drunk at the time of the accident, he was never charged in connection with Frank Gotti’s death. Authorities concluded that Frank had ridden his bike into the street and that Favara had little opportunity to avoid the collision. While John Gotti undeniably had a motive for revenge, the lack of a body and concrete evidence hampered any formal investigation into Favara’s disappearance as a homicide.
Victoria DiGiorgio’s statement, “I don’t know what happened to him but I’m not sorry if something did,” reflected the raw emotions and unresolved anger surrounding the case. The lack of apology or even acknowledgment from Favara fueled the Gotti family’s resentment.
Years later, during the 2009 trial of Gambino soldier Charles Carneglia, new light, albeit circumstantial, was shed on the Favara mystery. Carneglia, facing racketeering and murder charges, was alleged by prosecutors to have been involved in Favara’s disappearance, although Favara’s case wasn’t among the charges. Informants, including Kevin McMahon, claimed Carneglia boasted about dissolving Favara’s body in acid, describing it as “the best method to avoid detection.”
Despite these claims and persistent rumors of Favara being buried at sea, John Favara’s remains have never been found. Victoria Gotti’s cynical remark, “They have a better shot at finding Jesus Christ’s bones,” underscores the enduring mystery surrounding John Favara’s fate. The vanishing of John Favara remains an open case, a chilling footnote in the annals of mob history, forever linked to the tragic death of Frank Gotti and the long shadow of the Gotti crime family.
