Born in 1956 in Southwest Philadelphia, Testa was the son of Philip Testa a member of the Philadelphia family that served under Angelo Bruno and Alfia Arcidiacono (1926–1980). He had one sister Maria born 1954 who managed a Center City, Philadelphia nightclub and restaurant. In 1974 he graduated from Saint John Neumann High School (Pennsylvania) and had been sheltered from organized crime activity as a youth. His sister Maria married Scarfo mob associate and 'front man' Robert Sheeran who was listed as the officer of ETTENAJ Corporation which held the liquor license for Phil's restaurant Virgilio's along with Frank Narducci's sister-in-law Jeanette Hearn. In 1978, Maria became the sole corporate officer. Seven months following the murder of Phil, the liquor license was sold. (HOW CAN PHIL