Former US Attorney Keith Corbett said, “This is certainly the most interesting and attractive lead that has come up since I’ve been involved with this.”
The mystery surrounding the 1975 disappearance of infamous Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa may soon be solved. According to a report from NBC 4 New York, Tony Zerilli may know where Hoffa’s body is buried. Zerilli is believed by the FBI to have once been the second in command of the Detroit La Cosa Nostra, and he has recently broken his silence about the disappearance of Hoffa almost 40 years ago. Zerilli claims the body is buried in a field in suburban Detroit, about 20 miles from where Hoffa was last seen alive. He said, “If I had a thousand dollars, I’d bet you a thousand dollars he’s buried here.”
Zerilli, who was in prison at the time of the disappearance was one name on a short list of suspects the authorities questioned surrounding the disappearance of the famous Teamster leader. Former US Attorney Keith Corbett, who prosecuted organized crime in Detroit for more than 2 decades said:
The bureau had a short list of people they wanted to talk to about that and I can’t think of anybody on that list who was more highly placed then Anthony Zerilli … Clearly when he returned [from prison] he would’ve been a person, based on his position in the hierarchy, who would have been able to learn the facts and circumstances surrounding the disappearance of James Earl Hoffa.
Zerilli claims he has grown increasingly frustrated watching the FBI chase countless empty tips over the last 4 decades from those seeking attention by claiming to know where the body is buried. He says he’s speaking out now to give Hoffa’s family closure and to clear his own name. He says, “He was a friend of mine, and people connect me to his disappearance.” Zerilli, who by his own admission is “dead broke,” is also hoping to help promote his book and webpage, hoffafound.com.
Whether for Hoffa’s family or for financial gain, if Zerilli is correct as to the location of Hoffa’s body, it looks like there is a very real possibility that the FBI and America may finally be able to put this mystery to rest.
Photo: AP/File