Frank Fiala

Frank Fiala was a high rolling drug trafficker who was in the process of purchasing one of Gambino family mobster Sammy Gravano's nightclubs in June 1982 - the Plaza Suite. Gravano was reluctant to sell the club at first, but Fiala had offered him a whopping one million dollars which was five times the value of the Plaza Suite. Sammy accepted a one hundred thousand dollar down payment from Fiala, but the problems started almost immediately. Fiala right away moved in and began exerting his power in the club, before the deal had been completed. When Gravano became annoyed and confronted him, Fiala pulled out an Uzi. Sammy played it cool and talked Fiala down, knowing he was going to kill him at the first opportunity. Gravano was genuinely disgusted and outraged by the arrogance of Fiala and gathered his team of hitmen after leaving the club that day. Gravano, Louie Milito and another crew member Michael DeBatt then ambushed Fiala outside of the club that night. Sammy stepped in front of Fiala distracting him as Milito dropped him with a shot from behind. Louie Milito then shot Fiala once in both eyeballs. this was a message to others about the danger of disrespecting Sammy Gravano. Although more than a dozen people were close by, none stepped forward as witnesses. See Fiala Murder to read about some of the details of his life as well as a contemporary report of the murder and a look back at what happened. There is also an article A sea of blue couldn't avert Gravesend red written in 1982 that details the irregularities of the 2 am murder of Frank Fiala. Specifically, how the police were out in significant force during this time of the morning, in the area of Avenue X, and prevented the Guardian Angels from entering this location as the murder occurred.