Son of slain mobster Joe Lopresti killed in St. Laurent shooting: police source

MONTREAL – Police wouldn’t formally confirm reports Tuesday morning that a 40-year-old man slain gangland-style Monday evening on the balcony of a St. Laurent condo was Lorenzo Lopresti – son of Joe Lopresti, killed in what appeared to be an organized-crime hit in 1992.

“Investigators are saying this could be related to organized crime” was the most Montreal police Constable Dany Richer would say about the Monday-night shooting.

However, another police source confirmed that the dead man was Lorenzo Lopresti, often referred to as Larry.

The crime scene is located near the corner of Côte Vertu Blvd. and Hocquart St.

About 8:20 p.m. Monday, several people called 911 to report gunshots.

Police arrived at the scene and found Lopresti on the balcony of a ground-floor unit.

According to Constable Daniel Lacoursière, he had suffered at least one gunshot wound.

Lopresti was pronounced dead at the scene.

A woman on the premises was taken to hospital to be treated for nervous shock.

The major crimes division is running the investigation.

This was the 31st homicide in the Montreal this year. At the corresponding date last year, there had been 33.

In late April 1992, a body found in Montreal’s east end was identified as that of Joe Lopresti,44, a suspected Montreal mobster alleged to have been linked to the powerful New York City crime family headed by John Gotti, Montreal police said then.

That body was found wrapped in plastic and a canvas sheet beside railway tracks at 54th Ave. and Henri Bourassa Blvd. E., in the Rivière des Prairies district.

The older Lopresti was shot in the head at close range. A small-calibre firearm was used.

The victim wasn’t carrying any identification papers, homicide investigators said at the time.

Police said they considered Joe Lopresti the right-hand man of Vito Rizzuto, reputed leader of the Montreal Mafia, who is currently jailed in the United States.