Paul "The Waiter" Ricca

1897-11-14 – 1972-10-11 Convicted 1917

Buried at: Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery , Hillside, IL · Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside (mausoleum)

Criminal History (Public Record)

Convicted of murder in Italy in 1917 (stabbed Emilio Parrillo on orders). Served two years and was released. After release he killed the key witness against him (Vincenzo Capasso) and fled to the United States. In the U.S. he rose to become one of the most powerful figures in the Chicago Outfit. He had multiple later convictions including a major 1943 extortion case (10 years, paroled after several years) and 1959 tax evasion (served 27 months of a 9-year sentence). He died of a heart attack on October 11, 1972 in Chicago while free.

Background

Paul "The Waiter" Ricca (1897–1972), born Felice De Lucia in Naples, Italy, was a longtime leader of the Chicago Outfit (also known as Paul De Lucia).

Sources & Verification

Convicted of murder in Italy (1917). Served two years and released. Later major U.S. convictions (extortion 1943, tax evasion 1959) with time served and releases/parole. Died free of natural causes October 11, 1972 in Chicago. Buried Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, Hillside, IL. Find a Grave memorial 2796: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2796 . Wikipedia, contemporary news, and Chicago Outfit historical records (including McClellan Committee testimony).

All information on this site is drawn from publicly available records. We strongly recommend verifying directly with the cemetery and primary sources before making any decisions.

⚠ Proximity Warning within ~5 miles

The following other flagged graves were found near this location:

Mario Anthony DeStefano

Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery · ~0 miles away

Vincent Ciucci

Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery · ~0.46 miles away

Adolph Louis Luetgert

Forest Home Cemetery · ~4.04 miles away

Distances are approximate using the Haversine formula. Always confirm exact plot locations with the cemetery office.

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