How Did Philip Testa Die? The Nail Bomb on the Porch
Mobsters DailyPhilip Testa was killed on March 15, 1981, when a nail-packed bomb detonated under the porch of his South Philadelphia home as he returned to it — a hit widely attributed to rivals inside his own crime family. He had been boss for only about a year.
Bruno's successor, Scarfo's target
Testa, nicknamed the 'Chicken Man' from a poultry business, inherited the family after Angelo Bruno's 1980 murder. Underboss Pete Casella and capo Frank Narducci were later tied by testimony to the bombing plot, clearing the path for Nicky Scarfo — the family's most violent era.
With the holidays coming, that old-school boss energy is exactly why the Tony Soprano Ugly Christmas Sweater lands with mob fans — a black-and-white Tony stencil, gabagool attitude and all, made for Christmas photos and Sopranos marathons.
The bombing's cruelty was its message: no porch, no home, no boss was safe, a lesson Philadelphia kept relearning through the wars covered in Why the Mafia Fell. Testa's son Salvatore initially rose under Scarfo seeking position — and, many believed, waiting for revenge.
That revenge arc ended with Salvatore's own murder in 1984, closing the Testa family's brief, brutal chapter at the top of Philadelphia.
Frequently asked questions
When was Philip Testa killed? March 15, 1981, at his South Philadelphia home.
What kind of bomb killed Testa? A nail-packed bomb placed beneath his front porch.
Who succeeded Philip Testa? Nicky Scarfo became boss, beginning Philadelphia's most violent mob era.
Keep reading: Who Killed Albert Anastasia? · The Five Families · Lucky Luciano: The Man Who Invented the Modern Mafia · Who Was Nicky Scarfo? Philadelphia's Most Violent Boss
From the shop: Shadows of the Underworld — the real-mafia history behind the bosses, hits and betrayals in this story.
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