The 24-year-old man accused of killing Francesco “Franky Boy” Cali, the reputed boss behind the Gambino crime family, revealed pro-Trump slogans written on the inside of his hand during a court proceeding on Monday.
As journalists came into the room, Anthony Comello, who was in handcuffs, held up his hands to show the inside of his palms, which bore sayings like “MAGA Forever” and “United We Stand MAGA” — “MAGA” being the abbreviation of President Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
Comello’s attorneys would address the messages scrawled on Comello’s hands when asked by reporters.
Comello reportedly had a smug demeanor when reporters entered the courtroom, but didn’t say anything besides answering questions asked by the judge.
Comello, who faces murder charges for the alleged shooting of Cali, has reportedly been put into protective custody, according to CBS News.
Comello was reportedly angry at Cali for saying Comello wasn’t good enough to date his niece. Cali was shot multiple times after a gunman, believed by police to be Comello, crashed his vehicle into Cali’s car, luring him outside of his Staten Island home. While it is speculated that Comello acted alone, police insist that nothing is “off the table.”
Cali’s death marks the first crime family leader to be killed in New York City in 30 years.
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UPDATE: The Bizarre Truth Behind Frank Cali’s Murder
When this article was originally published in March 2019, Francesco Cali’s murder was still a mystery. A Gambino crime family boss had been gunned down outside his Staten Island home, no suspect had been publicly identified, and the killing immediately raised fears that New York could be witnessing the beginning of another Mafia power struggle.
That wasn’t what happened.
Just three days after Cali’s murder, police arrested 24-year-old Staten Island resident Anthony Comello in New Jersey. Comello had no known ties to the Mafia, and investigators soon concluded that Cali’s death did not appear to be a traditional organized crime assassination.
The circumstances surrounding the murder turned out to be far stranger.
According to court filings by Comello’s defense attorney, Comello had become consumed by the QAnon conspiracy theory and developed the delusional belief that politicians, celebrities, government officials, and organized crime figures were part of a secret “Deep State.”
Comello reportedly came to believe that Francesco Cali was one of them.
His attorney said Comello went to Cali’s Todt Hill home on March 13, 2019, carrying handcuffs and intending to place the Gambino figure under a citizen’s arrest. Comello allegedly believed he was acting on behalf of a larger effort to protect the country and even believed he had the support of President Donald Trump.
To get Cali outside, authorities said Comello used his pickup truck to strike a vehicle parked outside the house. Cali came out to investigate the collision and spoke with Comello.
Moments later, Cali was shot and killed.
The bizarre nature of Comello’s beliefs became public shortly after his arrest. During an extradition hearing, he displayed writing on his hand that included “MAGA Forever” and a large “Q”, a symbol associated with QAnon.
Comello’s attorney later said his client’s obsession had become a delusion rather than simply a political belief. According to the defense, Comello had previously attempted to confront or “arrest” other public figures he believed were part of the same conspiracy.
There was another possible element to the story.
Early in the investigation, police sources reported that Comello had been romantically interested in Cali’s niece and that Cali disapproved of the relationship. Investigators initially considered whether that personal dispute contributed to the killing.
However, Comello’s later defense centered heavily on his deteriorating mental state and his belief that Cali was part of the “Deep State.”
The case itself then took another unusual turn.
In June 2020, Comello was found mentally unfit to stand trial and was sent for psychiatric treatment. After later being deemed competent, his criminal case was resolved largely outside public view.
In 2025, court records revealed that Comello had ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received a prison sentence. The length of that sentence and even the correctional facility where he was sent were kept from public view, with court proceedings largely sealed because of concerns about threats against Comello and members of his family.
So what initially looked like it might be the first major Mafia boss assassination in New York since the murder of Paul Castellano in 1985 turned out to be something entirely different.
Frank Cali wasn’t killed in a Gambino power struggle. He wasn’t eliminated by a rival family. And there was no new Mafia war.
One of the most powerful organized crime figures in New York was killed outside his own home by a man with no known Mafia connections whose attorneys said had become consumed by an extraordinary conspiracy-driven delusion.