10 Times the Mob Tried to Kill Someone and Failed
The mafia’s reputation for ruthless efficiency precedes it, but the underworld’s history is filled with botched hits, miraculous escapes, and failed assassination attempts that remind us even organized crime’s deadliest operatives aren’t infallible. From bullets that missed their mark to targets who survived the unsurvivable, these stories reveal the human element behind the underworld’s most infamous murder plots.
1. Frank Costello’s Narrow Escape (1957)
One of the most powerful figures in organized crime, Frank Costello, nearly became a murder statistic when Vincent “The Chin” Gigante attempted to assassinate him outside his Manhattan apartment building. Gigante fired a shot that grazed Costello’s scalp, leaving him with a superficial wound rather than a fatal injury. The gunman fled, and Costello survived to continue his criminal empire. Remarkably, Costello refused to identify his shooter to police, adhering to the code of omerta.
2. Albert Anastasia’s Failed Hits Before His Own Death
Before Albert Anastasia, the feared boss of the Gambino family, met his own violent end in a barbershop, he survived multiple assassination attempts orchestrated by rivals. His brutality and control of Murder Incorporated made him a target, yet several carefully planned hits failed due to miscommunication and missed opportunities before his eventual execution.
3. Joe Masseria’s Attempted Murder (1922)
During the chaotic Castellammarese War, Joe Masseria survived an early assassination attempt when Lucky Luciano and his associates tried to eliminate him. The attempt failed, though Luciano would later orchestrate a successful hit on Masseria in 1922, fundamentally reshaping New York’s underworld power structure.
4. Lucky Luciano’s Kidnapping Survival (1936)
Lucky Luciano endured a brutal kidnapping and beating in 1936 that some considered a murder attempt disguised as an abduction. Slashed and tortured, Luciano miraculously survived and continued to lead the Genovese family from behind the scenes, his resilience becoming legendary among mob circles.
5. Sam Giancana Escapes a Chicago Hit (1975)
The Chicago Outfit boss Sam Giancana narrowly avoided an assassination attempt in 1975 when a would-be killer’s gun jammed at the critical moment. The misfire likely saved his life, though Giancana’s fortune would change dramatically just months later when he was successfully murdered in his Oak Park home.
6. Roy DeMeo’s Botched Early Attempts
The Gambino family’s Roy DeMeo, known for his violence and contract killing expertise, ironically survived several failed assassination attempts early in his career before eventually being executed by his own organization in 1983. His survival through these early hits only reinforced his ruthless reputation.
7. Carmine Galante’s Prison Survival
Before his fatal 1979 assassination, Carmine Galante of the Bonanno family survived multiple murder attempts during his imprisonment at Alcatraz. Fellow inmates orchestrated hits that failed, keeping Galante alive until he was released and subsequently murdered in a restaurant hit.
8. Joe Colombo’s Failed Assassination Plot Against Gallo (1971)
The Colombo family’s Joe Colombo ordered the hit on Joey Gallo that went dramatically wrong, with the target surviving the initial attack. The botched hit escalated the Colombo-Gallo war and led to unexpected consequences for all parties involved, including Colombo himself being shot months later.
9. Paul Castellano’s Escape from Earlier Attempts
Before his famous 1985 execution outside Sparks Steakhouse, Paul Castellano survived several assassination attempts. His control of the Gambino family and business acumen made him powerful enemies, yet multiple plots to eliminate him failed before John Gotti finally orchestrated his successful murder.
10. Meyer Lansky’s Evasion of Mob Justice
Despite his legendary status and involvement in countless mob operations, Meyer Lansky remarkably escaped assassination attempts throughout his long career. His financial genius and importance to the Commission made him too valuable to kill, and he survived numerous plots to eliminate him, dying of natural causes in 1983.
Why Mob Hits Fail: The Human Element
These ten examples demonstrate that organized crime’s operational success doesn’t guarantee flawless execution. Mechanical failures, miscalculations, hesitation, and unexpected variables all play roles in failed assassination attempts. Even the most ruthless organizations run by figures like Al Capone and Carlo Gambino experienced moments when their killing machinery misfired. These failures often had profound consequences, escalating conflicts and reshaping the power structures within and between families.
The mafia’s mystique often overshadows the reality that murder attempts, regardless of planning and resources, remain inherently unpredictable. Every failed hit was a dangerous misstep with consequences that rippled through the underworld for years to come.