Vincent DeSimone

Who was Vincent DeSimone?

Vincent J. DeSimone, Jr. was the Chief of Detectives of Passaic County, New Jersey, USA. In 1966, he became known as the lead detective in the homicide case at Lafayette Grill, Paterson, New Jersey. His handling of eyewitnesses was criticized by supporters of the accused ¹ and the federal court later wrote about the special treatment of key witness Bello by the police: "His [Bello's] motivation was crystallized when, shortly after the trial, police officers and others tried to help him obtain a $10,000 reward offered to persons providing information that led to the arrest and conviction of the Lafayette Bar killers"5.

In 1969 he resigned from his job as the result of a dispute about the way that a murder investigation was being handled, and for a year worked as warden of the Passaic County jail, until he was re-hired by a new county prosecutor.¹

DeSimone was facially disfigured, his face having been hit by a bullet during his service in World War II. Although he underwent nineteen plastic surgery operations, it was never fully restored.²