HAUPPAGE, N.Y., Oct. 8 (UPI) -- A body found this week buried in a New York suburb has been identified as missing Colombo crime family underboss William Cutolo, federal authorities said.
Cutolo lost a struggle for control of the crime family in 1999. A spokesman U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell confirmed the identity of the body discovered Monday on Long Island, Newsday reported Wednesday.
FBI agents realized as soon as they unwrapped the body that it was Cutolo, The New York Post said. The corpse had a missing finger on the right hand like Cutolo, who was nicknamed "Fingers" after his hand was mutilated in an accident when he was young.
Alphonse Persico, son of jailed Colombo mob boss Carmine Persico, is awaiting sentencing on federal charges that include killing Cutolo. During his trial, prosecutors said that Cutolo's body had been dumped at sea.
An informant recently said that Cutolo and two other men were buried on the east end of Long Island.
