One of the most infamous and mysterious events in the history of organized crime is the assassination of Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel. Los Angeles mobster Bugsy Siegel was murdered on the evening of June 20, 1947, in his Beverly Hills home. Someone opened shot through the window when he was reading the newspaper in the living room, killing him instantly.

Known for his ferocity and connections to the Italian Mafia, Siegel was a major player in the criminal underground. The news of his death reverberated across the criminal underworld, and several ideas were proposed to explain who was responsible for the hit. Some say it was a power battle within the Mafia, while others say it had something to do with him being involved in the troubled Las Vegas hotel and casino development of the Flamingo.

A riveting and ongoing subject of curiosity for true crime aficionados and historians alike, Bugsy Siegel’s murder remains officially unsolved and surrounded in mystery and intrigue.