Buzz
This week, the mystery of one of America's most famous unsolved cases intensified when a tip from a retired mobster led FBI and Michigan officials to a field in suburban Detroit. They hoped to find Hoffa's long-missing remains, but after two days of digging, all they found was the continued fascination surrounding the disappearance and presumed murder of the former Teamsters president James Riddle 'Jimmy' Hoffa, which has remained unsolved for almost 38 years.
A good mystery is hard to resist in American pop culture, and the enigma of what happened to the corrupt labor leader with mafia connections has become nearly a national hobby. Nearly four decades, countless FBI agents, no convictions, numerous theories, books, one Oscar-nominated film, endless jokes ('Yo momma's so fat, she rolled over and they found Jimmy Hoffa'), and many hours of digging later, the unresolved search for his remains has transformed into a legendary tale.
But why the ongoing pursuit? On Monday, Sheriff Michael Bouchard of Oakland County, Michigan, expressed his desire to bring closure to Hoffa’s family, saying, 'It's long overdue. It’s been one of those open wounds for a long time.' After the FBI officially ended its investigation on Wednesday, spokesman Simon Shaykhet added, 'It remains an open investigation. As long as cases remain open, the FBI remains committed to the pursuit of justice.'
Frankie Bailey, associate professor at the University at Albany's School of Criminal Justice, explained, '[The FBI] is not required to pursue every tip, but if it receives credible information, the agency may feel compelled to act and possibly resolve the case,' she told MSN News. 'After all these years, one would think the FBI would want to solve this mystery. Solving it would be a major victory for the agency,' she added.
Over the last forty years, several convincing theories have surfaced regarding the identity of Hoffa's killer, the location of his demise, and the weapon used. Here are five notable theories that have been explored since his disappearance in 1975.
The Purple Gang. In the field. With the shovel.
This latest lead comes from former mafia captain and now octogenarian Anthony Zerilli, who revealed it this year. Zerilli, the son of the notorious Detroit-based Purple Gang leader Joseph Zerilli, told the FBI that Hoffa was struck with a shovel and buried under a concrete slab in a field once owned by his cousin in Bloomfield Township, Michigan. After two days of digging, law enforcement reported they found nothing.
Tony the Greek. Beneath Giants Stadium. With the gun.
In 1989, Donald Frankos, also known as Tony the Greek, captivated the nation when he told Playboy magazine that Hoffa's body was buried beneath Giants Stadium after being murdered by a mafia hit squad, which Frankos claimed to have been a part of. According to Frankos, Hoffa was shot, dismembered, frozen, shipped to Jersey, and then buried near the western end zone in East Rutherford—later playfully dubbed the 'Jimmy Hoffa Memorial End Zone.' The FBI found no proof to back Frankos' claims, and when Giants Stadium was demolished in 2010, no remains were found. However, Hoffa is still jokingly regarded as the ultimate New York football fan, having 'attended' every game since 1975.
The Hitman. In the Swamp. With the Meat Grinder.
In 1982, Charles Allen, a man who claimed to be a former mafia hitman, told Congress that Hoffa was killed on the orders of mob boss Anthony Provenzano. Allen described how Hoffa was chopped into pieces, sent to Florida, and dumped into a swamp. This theory has become one of the most talked about among the many speculative accounts of Hoffa's fate.
Frank 'the Irishman' Sheeran, a former Teamsters official and close friend of Hoffa, allegedly admitted on his deathbed to murdering Hoffa under mafia orders. Sheeran also claimed to have been involved in the assassination of JFK. While law enforcement found traces of blood at the location where Sheeran said Hoffa was killed, the blood was not Hoffa's, and no concrete evidence has emerged to support Sheeran’s confession. Sheeran explained that Hoffa had used him as muscle during his Teamsters days, ordering him to intimidate and eliminate troublesome union members and rivals. He shared his story with author Charles Brandt in 2003, who wrote the book I Heard You Paint Houses, which details Sheeran’s confession. According to Sheeran, Hoffa's first words to him were 'I hear you're a contract killer,' a reference to the bloody aftermath of his work.
The Irishman. In the house. With the paint.
The Iceman. In the car. With the hunting knife.
In 2006, Richard Kuklinski, another self-proclaimed mafia hitman, confessed on his deathbed to killing Hoffa. His story was detailed by author Philip Carlo in the book Iceman: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer. Kuklinski claimed he was paid $40,000 to abduct Hoffa from a restaurant parking lot, where he supposedly knocked Hoffa out and stabbed him in the head with a hunting knife. He then drove Hoffa’s body to New Jersey, leaving the car in a scrap yard. According to Kuklinski, this could mean that Hoffa's remains are, in a sense, still inside the body of your car.
Numerous other theories exist about Hoffa's fate, including the possibility that his body was destroyed in a fat-rendering plant, buried under a horse farm, concealed beneath a suburban driveway, or hidden under the headquarters of General Motors in Detroit. What we do know for certain is that the search for the truth continues.
