In May 1976 Franzese murdered Colombo family associate Joseph "Doo Doo" Pastore who was Joseph Massino's partner in and untaxed cigarette smuggling operation. The hit took place in an apartment above a deli owned by Massino on fifty-eighth road in Maspeth, Queens. Salvatore Vitale, then just an associate in the Bonanno family was tasked with cleaning up the apartment after the hit was done. Vitale alleges that his brother in law Massino also took part in the murder - firing two shots into Pastore's face however Massino denies this.