Salvatore "Salvie" Testa, nicknamed The Crowned Prince of the Philadelphia Mob, was an Italian-American mobster who served as a caporegime for the Philadelphia crime family. Testa made his reputation as a hitman for the Philadelphia family during a period of internal gang conflict. The son of former boss Philip, Testa was an emerging figure in the mob until he was killed on the orders of boss Nicky Scarfo Sr.
Biography
Born on March 31, 1956, in Southwest Philadelphia, Testa was the son of Alfia Arcidiacono and Philip "Chicken Man" Testa, a member of the Philadelphia family that served under Angelo Bruno. In 1974 he graduated from Saint John Neumann High School and he attended Temple University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a year, and then went into the real estate business. Testa had one sister, Maria, who managed a Center City, Philadelphia nightclub and restaurant. In March 1980, longtime family boss Angelo Bruno was murdered and Testa's father became boss. The death of his father's predecessor, Angelo Bruno, triggered a violent civil war in the family between factions loyal to Harry Riccobene and Nicodemo Scarfo, who controlled the family's Atlantic City, New Jersey operations. On March 15, 1981, Testa's father returned to his home in South Philadelphia that was across the street from the scenic Stephen Girard Park. As he was opening the door to his twin home at 2117 Porter Street, a nail bomb exploded under his front porch. His death was allegedly ordered by his underboss and drug trafficker Peter Casella and capo Frank Narducci Sr., which later resulted in Narducci being gunned down and Casella being banished from the Mob and fleeing to Florida. Scarfo took over the crime family following Philip Testa's death, and he promoted Salvatore Merlino to underboss. On July 31, 1982, Salvatore Testa was wounded near his home in the Italian Market section by shotgun blasts fired from a speeding car. In 1984, Testa broke off his engagement to Merlino's daughter. Enraged, Merlino got permission from Scarfo to murder Testa, despite him being a loyal member of the crime family. However, Merlino developed a drinking problem, which caused Scarfo to demote Merlino and cut off ties with him. Testa allegedly sold an Atlantic City bar at twice the market value to Donald Trump in order for him to build the Trump Plaza in 1984.
Death and aftermath
In 1984, Scarfo ordered the death of Testa, one of his capos and top hitmen, as Testa's ambition and growing popularity made Scarfo feel threatened. On September 14, 1984, Testa was found shot to death at the side of a road in Gloucester Township, New Jersey. About 300 people attended Testa's funeral procession on September 20, 1984, at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Philadelphia's Italian Market section. He was interred alongside his father, Philip, and mother, Alfia, at the family plot at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania. As a result of Salvatore Testa's murder, Scarfo gained a reputation for disloyalty, and several criminal organizations across the United States began to distrust him.
