Quick Facts
- NAME: Thomas Pitera
- OCCUPATION: Organized Crime Boss
- BIRTH DATE: December 02, 1954 (Age: 58)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: New York City, New York
- AKA: Tommy Karate
- AKA: The Butcher
- ZODIAC SIGN: Sagittarius
Best Known For
Mobster Thomas Pitera was a hitman for the Gambino and Bonanno organized crime families. Notorious for his brutal crimes, he is nicknamed “The Butcher.”
Quiz
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.
Play NowThomas Pitera. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 06:10, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-pitera-17139030.
Thomas Pitera. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-pitera-17139030 [Accessed 25 May 2013].
"Thomas Pitera." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 06:10 http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-pitera-17139030.
"Thomas Pitera," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-pitera-17139030 [accessed May 25, 2013].
"Thomas Pitera," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-pitera-17139030 (accessed May 25, 2013).
Thomas Pitera [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-pitera-17139030.
Thomas Pitera, http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-pitera-17139030 (last visited May 25, 2013).
Thomas Pitera. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-pitera-17139030. Accessed May 25, 2013.
He had an almost scientific approach to his murders, choosing to bury the remains deep in the ground to avoid detection and separating the head from the body to avoid identification. It was also revealed that one of his favorite dumping grounds was the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge on New York's Staten Island. And, like many serial killers, Pitera liked to take a keepsake from his victims.
After a seven-week trial,
the jury decided to convict Pitera on six counts of murder and on racketeering and drug charges. He was acquitted of the murder of Wilfred "Willie Boy" Johnson, an FBI informant, and of the two murder-conspiracy charges. But Pitera was convicted in the deaths of five criminal associates. Two of these killings happened in 1989 and were connected to drug trafficking, making them possible death penalty cases. The jury had to determine whether Pitera should be put to death in a separate hearing. They decided against the death penalty, and he was later sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Pitera is currently serving time at the United States Penitentiary in Allenwood, Pennsylvania.
© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.
profile name: Thomas Pitera profile occupation:
Your Connections
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Profile Connections
Included In These Groups
-
Famous Sagittarians 567 people in this group
-
Famous People Named Thomas
View groupTake a look at famous people named Thomas, such as Thomas Reed, Thomas Wolfe, and Thomas Edison.
Famous People Named Thomas 40 people in this group
-
Famous People Born in 1954 74 people in this group

John F. Kennedy
Famous Military Veterans
Anthony Weiner
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived


