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Philip Testa | |
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Born | Philip Charles Testa April 21, 1924 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Died | March 15, 1981 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 56)
Cause of death | Bombing |
Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Other names | "The Chicken Man", "The Julius Caesar of the Philadelphia Mob", "Philly" |
Occupation | Crime boss |
Spouse | Alfia Arcidiacono |
Children | Salvatore and Maria |
Allegiance | Philadelphia crime family |
Philip Charles Testa (April 21, 1924 – March 15, 1981), also known as "The Chicken Man", was an Italian-American mobster known for his brief leadership of the Philadelphia crime family of the Italian-American Mafia. He became boss of the Philadelphia crime family after the previous boss and his close friend, Angelo Bruno, was murdered by Bruno’s own consigliere, Antonio Caponigro, who, in turn, was ordered killed by The Commission for murdering a boss without permission.
Testa's nickname came from his involvement in a poultry business[citation needed]. About a year after Bruno's death, Testa was killed by the blast of a nail bomb at his home in South Philadelphia. The assassination was allegedly ordered by Testa’s own underboss, Peter Casella, as part of the Second Philadelphia Mafia War.