Early on Sunday, June 13, 1954 Ontario Provincial Police constable Douglas Duff was making a routine check along Easterbrook Road on the summit of Hamilton's mountain. About ten miles northeast of the city he discovered a Crown taxi parked in a densely wooded area off the road. Inside was the owner-driver, Anthony Codispodi. He had been shot three times in the back of his head and neck with a .32 calibre pistol held at almost contact range. Police found $28 in Mr. Codispodi's pockets, which caused them to rule out robbery. There were no cartridge casings in the car. An issue of Police Gazette and a crime magazine, spattered with blood, were on the seat beside the driver. Mr. Codispodi's right foot was still on the gas pedal and it appeared that he had just switched off the ignition when he was shot. Police traced his movements until 10:30 p.m., when the Crown dispatcher relayed a call from a man named Dave asking for him specifically. Mr. Codispodi owned his own car. He had been driving for Crown Taxi for about a month. He was well-known to the police and had been charged with three other men in the attempted robbery of an east-end Hamilton man in January, 1952. One of the men charged had been shot by the would-be victim and was later sentenced to penitentiary. Charges against Mr. Codispodi were not pursued, suggesting that he may have cooperated with the police. In fact according to one report Mr. Codispodi had helped the police "considerably" in various investigations since 1948. Police speculated that the motive for the killing was revenge, but they were unable to turn up any clues. In 2002 the Ontario Provincial Police reviewed the case, along with 195 other unsolved homicides, and appealed to the public for possible leads.

Anthony Codispodi. (Source: Le Canada Nouveau, June 17, 1954, p. 18))