On the morning of June 28, 1978, five men were found executed in the basement of the Blackfriars Pub on Summer Street in Boston. Among them was 34-year-old John A. Kelly, known as Jack, a former investigative journalist who had been working as the pub’s night manager. The victims included the pub’s owner, Vincent E. Solmonte, and three others: Peter Meroth, Freddy Delavega, and Charles Magarian.

The janitor who discovered the scene reported victims shot at close range. Investigators believed two weapons were used: a 12 gauge shotgun and a .25 caliber automatic pistol, which suggested at least two shooters. A large amount of cash and several kilograms of cocaine were reportedly on the premises, so robbery was considered a possible motive, though the brutality raised questions about ties to organized crime.

Kelly had a background as a hard-hitting reporter, including coverage of the Chappaquiddick story, and was known to associate with members of the criminal underworld. Two men, Robert J. Italiano and William N. Ierardi, were arrested and charged within a month but were acquitted after a 27-day trial. The case remains officially unsolved.