John Lonardo

Birth Name:

John Lonardo

Birth Date:

January 1, 1970

Birth Place:

Italy

Death Date:

October 13, 1927

Place of Death:

Porrello Barber Shop, 10902 Woodland Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio

Age:

Cause of Death:

Gunshot wounds from a mob hit

Cemetery Name:

Calvary Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Crime and their Victims

Associates:

Part of the Lonardo crime family, John was gunned down with his brother "Big Joe" Lonardo (who at the time was the first ever crime boss of the Cleveland crime family)

Joseph “Big Joe” Lonardo left for Sicily in April 1927 for five months to visit his mother. The relationship between Lonardo and the Porrellos worsened while he was away. John Lonardo served as caretaker of Joseph’s businesses while Joseph was in Sicily. John had little temperament for business and lacked good judgment, and a leadership vacuum emerged in the Mayfield Road Mob. As soon as Joseph Lonardo left for Sicily, the Porrellos began offering home distillers corn sugar at $2.19 per pound, much less than the $3.50 per pound Lonardo charged. Lonardo’s influence with local politicians and police also evaporated, and law enforcement raids on home brewers loyal to the Lonardos increased significantly. Just a few weeks after Lonardo’s departure, the Porrellos had taken control of more than half of Lonardo’s corn sugar and corn whiskey business.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Calvary Cemetery

10000 Miles Road

Cleveland, Ohio, 44105

USA

North America

Map:

Grave Location:

Section 47, Lot 234, Grave 7

Grave Location Description

Drive up and into the cemetery until you find the road that goes under the bridge. Make a hard left and drive towards the back to Section 47. About 100 feet from the road you will see the large Lonardo monument.