Man in Custody in Slaying of Reputed NY Mob Boss
Cali, 53, who was shot to death Wednesday outside his Staten Island home, was allegedly the head of the Gambino family, one of the five Italian-American Mafia families that have historically dominated organized crime in New York and New Jersey.
Police apprehended Anthony Comello in New Jersey on Saturday
and expect to charge him with murdering Cali, New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea told a news conference.
"This is far from over. We are at the beginning stages of this investigation," Shea said.
Surveillance video of the killing showed a man, allegedly Comello, crash his car into Cali's parked SUV, drawing Cali outside in what might have been a ploy to lure him out of the house, Shea said.
ABC News reported that the two men spoke and shook hands before the suspect pulled out a gun. The suspect shot Cali as many as 10 times, Shea said.
Shea declined to say whether Comello had a criminal record, but said he had "crossed paths" with the NYPD. Comello's truck was issued a parking summons in Staten Island on the day of Cali's slaying, Shea said.
Police were still investigating the motive behind Cali's killing, he said, including whether it might have been a domestic altercation or a mob-related killing.
Charges against members of Mafia operations, including Gambino family operatives, have included murder, loan sharking, gambling and illegal drug distribution, Reuters has reported.