Peter Licavoli

Peter Joseph Licavoli (June 7, 1902 - January 11, 1984), nicknamed "Horseface," was a prominent American organized crime figure. Rising from St. Louis bootlegging roots, he became a key leader in Detroit's Purple Gang during Prohibition and later a major boss in the Detroit Mafia.[1][2]

Early Life

Born to Sicilian immigrant parents in St.

Louis, Missouri, Peter Licavoli entered the underworld amid the city's vibrant illegal alcohol trade. Family records note a possible birthdate discrepancy, with some sources listing November 16, 1902, though June 7 is widely accepted.[1][5] His involvement in crime began young, fueled by the demand for bootleg liquor during the 1920s Prohibition era.

Rise in the Purple Gang

Licavoli and his brother Thomas led Detroit's notorious Purple Gang, a Jewish-American syndicate that dominated rum-running across the Detroit River from Canada.

In their 1920s-1930s heyday, they supplied illegal booze to Detroit, Toledo, and Cleveland markets.[2] The gang expanded into Toledo, Ohio, in the early 1930s, clashing violently with local outfits, including the murder of crime figure Jack Kennedy.[4]

Peter's reputation as a ruthless enforcer grew. Authorities linked him to at least 15 killings from his Purple Gang days through 1950, including Prohibition-era hits on rum-runner Joe Tallman and St.

Louis gunman Milford Jones.

He was suspected in the 1930 assassination of radio commentator Jerry Buckley at Detroit's LaSalle Hotel and even rumored in Chicago's St. Valentine's Day Massacre-though never convicted of murder.[1][3]

Detroit Mafia Leadership

Post-Prohibition, Licavoli transitioned to legitimate fronts while ruling as one of Detroit's "five Dons." He controlled casinos, racetracks, hotels, and supplied strikebreakers to Henry Ford in the 1930s.

U.S. Senate testimony, including from informant Joe Valachi in 1963, pegged the Detroit Mafia-under Licavoli's influence-at $150 million annual rackets.[2][3]

Senator Estes Kefauver's 1952 committee branded him "one of the most cold-blooded and contemptuous characters."[2] Despite 38 criminal charges, Licavoli evaded major convictions until later years.

Criminal Convictions

Later Years in Tucson

By 1945, Licavoli relocated to Tucson, Arizona, amassing wealth through vast land and property holdings.

He bought the Grace Ranch-named for wife Grace Bommarito-as a family estate and mob haven for over 35 years. There, he bred racehorses, ran a Southwest gambling wire, and oversaw Detroit operations remotely.[1][3]

Conspiracy theories persist: Chauncey Holt alleged Grace Ranch hosted JFK assassination plotters, including gunman Charlie Nicoletti, en route to Dallas in 1963-claims unproven and debated.[3]

Death and Legacy

Licavoli died of a heart attack at 81 in his Tucson retirement home.

Brother Thomas, jailed 36 years for a gang killing, died soon after 1970 parole.[2] Never convicted of violence despite a bloody trail, Licavoli embodied the Prohibition mobster's arc-from street enforcer to semi-legitimate magnate.

His story highlights the era's blurred lines between crime and business. As Federal Judge Theodore Levin noted in 1958, Licavoli thrived "associating...

with big-time, full-time, and old-time racketeers."[1] Today, he remains a footnote in Mafia lore, evoking Detroit's wild underworld.

1930 ------------------ Purple Gang Peak ------------------ 1940
         |                  |                              |
         v                  v                              v
    Buckley Hit        Toledo Wars                   Detroit Dons

1945 ----------------------------------------------------- 1984
     |                                                            |
     v                                                            v
Tucson Move                                              Death @81
    

"One of the most cold-blooded...

characters." - Sen. Estes Kefauver, 1952[2]