new information in the 1992 gangland slaying of reputed mob enforcer Kevin Hanrahan.

Court documents reveal the Federal Bureau of Investigation has received new information in the 1992 gangland slaying of reputed mob enforcer Kevin Hanrahan.

The Target 12 Investigators have learned the FBI is now re-examining the murder based on information from two criminal informants.

The new information came to light in court documents filed in February. According to the documents, an FBI informant — described as a Taunton, Mass., bookmaker — said he was being shaken down for protection money by Hanrahan.

In response, the document states the informant and another man pay a visit to a man named Gordon O'Brien to complain about the shake-down. The affidavit describes O'Brien as "a significant organized crime figure in Southeastern Massachusetts."

According to the documents, the informant claims that during that meeting, O'Brien made a phone call to Frank "Cadillac Frank" Salemme in Boston, then-mob boss of the New England Crime Family.

Within days of the call, according to the affidavit, Hanrahan was murdered.

The document does not disclose who pulled the trigger, but it does reveal the FBI is investigating Salemme for allegedly ordering the hit.

Salemme’s attorney, Steven Boozang of Boston, Mass., said the theory is ridiculous.

"Obviously someone has gotten into trouble and they're trying to get themselves out of trouble," said Boozang. "I know one thing, [Salemme] is an old school guy. He wouldn't have a conversation about anything on the telephone. It just simply would not happen."

Salemme, who federal authorities say was the head of the Patriarca crime family in the early '90's, was released from prison last spring. Boozang said at 76 years old, Salemme is trying to leave his former life behind, "riding off into the sunset" in an undisclosed location.

The new information is part of a criminal complaint against reputed mafia captain Anthony "The Saint" St. Laurent. St. Laurent is accused by the FBI of shaking down several Taunton bookmakers for protection money from 1988 to 2009. He has not been implicated in the Hanrahan murder.

Federal Hill Hit

Kevin Hanrahan was gunned down on Federal Hill on Sept. 18, 1992. According to police officials interviewed for this report and media reports at the time, Hanrahan was walking out of the former Arch Restaurant on Atwells Avenue in Providence when he was approached by two men. He was shot three times to the head and died later that night at Rhode Island Hospital.

Providence firefighter Paul Doughty was one of the first responders that night. He said Hanrahan was still breathing when he was rushed to the ambulance, but he wasn’t conscious.

"The single thing that really stuck out in my mind and still does to this day is just the lack of any bystanders," said Doughty, noting most murder scenes are public attractions.

"I guess people knew it was dangerous and they didn't want to be near it," Doughty said.

Rhode Island State Police Colonel Brendon Doherty was a detective in the intelligence unit at the time of the homicide, working the case along with the Providence Police. Doherty said law enforcement was well aware there were witnesses to the crime, but no one wanted to come forward to provide any information.

"It certainly speaks to their violent reputation," Doherty said.

Doherty said police had their eyes on a couple of key players, but declined to name them.

As a mob investigator, Doherty often dealt with Hanrahan. He said it came as little surprise when he learned of the slaying.

"When Kevin was murdered you could throw a stone in any direction and you could hit a suspect," Doherty said. "When you live that lifestyle and you work in the streets like that, sometimes you live by the sword and you die by the sword."Born in Providence, Hanrahan was a notorious Irish strong-arm who died the way he lived; violently.

Posted in: new information in the 1992 gangland slaying of reputed mob enforcer Kevin Hanrahan.