One of three sons born to a member of the Unione Siciliana. Joe "who acquired the nickname of Misery," became an important man in the Detroit underworld when Unione Sicilana leader Sam Cantalonotte appointed him director of the Pascuzzi Combine. Moceri worked closely with Cantalonotte's son Joseph as well as the Licavoli brothers "Thomas "Yonnie" Licavoli leader of the Downriver gang would go on to marry Joe Morceri's sister Zena," and other members of the Eastside Gang under the direction of Angelo Meli,William Tocco,Joe Zerilli and Leo Cellura. The Pascuzzi combine controlled much of the liquor flowing into the country by way of Canada.
Morceri acquired a stake in the Amherstburg Distillery and purchased the Riverside brewery on behalf of the Combine. Moceri was entrusted with overseeing the bribes paid out to ensure cooperation of the local authorities and the use of force when neccessary, "much of which was carried out by his younger brother Leo "lips" Moceri." The relationship between Morceri and other members of the Pascuzzi combine continued long after the end of prohibition as members of the East and Westside Mobs joined the River Gang in forming the Detroit Outfit in 1931. In later years Joe ran a warehouse filled with restaurant supplies in a run down section of Detroit.
This would the place where Joe Morceri would meet his end. On the morning of August 21, 1968 Joe arrived at the warehouse with a plate of hot rolls which he brought in every morning for a group of old friends whom he would spend the day swapping stories with. On this day Joe was attacked as he awaited the arrival of his guests by someone hiding in the shadows. Morceri once one of Detroit's most feared gangsters struggled briefly but was quickly overcome and savagely beaten.
When the first of Joe's friends arrived he reported seeing a young black man leaving Joe's warehouse. Once inside he found Joe struggling to maintain his balance while holding on to an old table. Joe Morceri died several hours later from sever head trauma caused by several blows to the head with a blunt object. Joe Misery was 67 years old.
Misery