John Wojtowicz
John Stanley Wojtowicz (March 9, 1945 – January 2, 2006) was an American criminal whose attempted robbery of a Chase Manhattan Bank branch in Brooklyn, New York, on August 22, 1972, became a prolonged hostage standoff that inspired the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon.[1] The heist, involving Wojtowicz and two accomplices—Salvatore Naturile and Robert Westenberg—was intended to secure funds for gender reassignment surgery for Wojtowicz's transgender partner, Elizabeth Eden (born Ernest Aron), amid financial desperation following Eden's suicide attempt related to her gender dysphoria.[2][3][4] Lasting over 14 hours, the botched operation drew massive media attention as Wojtowicz negotiated with police while holding bank employees hostage, culminating in Naturile's fatal shooting by the FBI and Wojtowicz's surrender; Westenberg had fled earlier without participating fully.[3][1] Convicted of armed robbery, Wojtowicz received a 20-year federal prison sentence but served only five years before parole in 1978, after which he lived modestly, later violating terms by involvement in unauthorized activities, though he gained notoriety for cooperating with the Dog Day Afternoon production, receiving a reported $7,500 fee.[1][2] In his later years, Wojtowicz resided with his mother, relied on welfare, and declined cancer treatment, succumbing to the disease at age 60; the event's legacy endures through cinematic dramatization, though Wojtowicz himself contested aspects of the film's portrayal of his motivations and life.[2]Early Life
Childhood and Family Background
John Wojtowicz was born in 1945 in New York City to a Polish father and an Italian-American mother.[3][2] He grew up in Brooklyn, residing on the Italian side of the neighborhood during the 1950s, reflecting his mother's heritage amid a mixed ethnic family environment.[5][2] Details of Wojtowicz's childhood remain limited in available records, with no documented accounts of significant events or family dynamics beyond his ethnic parental origins and urban upbringing in a working-class Brooklyn community.[1] His early family life appears to have followed conventional patterns for the era, preceding his high school graduation and subsequent military enlistment.[1]Military Service and Early Adulthood
John Wojtowicz was drafted into the U.S. Army on March 29, 1966, shortly after graduating high school.[3] [6] He served in Vietnam as part of his military obligation during the war, during which he later claimed to have had his first sexual experiences with men, marking a shift in his understanding of his attractions.[7] [3] Wojtowicz received an honorable discharge on March 28, 1969.[3] While still in the service, Wojtowicz married Carmen Bifulco, a fellow Chase Manhattan Bank employee he had begun dating prior to his deployment, in 1967.[8] [9] The couple had two sons before divorcing in 1969.[10] Upon returning to Brooklyn after his discharge, Wojtowicz resumed civilian life by working as a teller at a Chase Manhattan Bank branch, the same institution where he had met Bifulco.[1] [9] This period reflected his initial attempts to establish a conventional family life amid emerging personal conflicts over his sexuality.[7]Personal Relationships
Heterosexual Marriage and Children
Wojtowicz met Carmen Bifulco in 1966 while both were employed at a Chase Manhattan Bank branch in Brooklyn, describing the encounter as love at first sight.[9] They married on October 21, 1967, shortly after his discharge from military service.[9] [1] The couple had two sons together during their marriage.[2] [1] Wojtowicz and Bifulco separated in 1969, after approximately two years of marriage, amid his emerging same-sex relationships, though they remained legally married at the time of his 1972 bank robbery.[11] [1] Bifulco later described the robbery and its aftermath as "horrible," expressing estrangement from Wojtowicz by 1972.[12]Relationship with Elizabeth Eden and Sexual Orientation
John Wojtowicz met Elizabeth Eden, born male as Ernest Aron, in June 1971 at a New York street festival, describing it as love at first sight.[9] Their courtship progressed rapidly, leading to an unofficial wedding ceremony on December 4, 1971, during which Eden wore a white wedding dress while Wojtowicz donned military decorations; this event was publicized as one of the earliest gay weddings in New York, though Wojtowicz remained legally married to his wife Carmen Bifulco at the time.[9] [13] The relationship soon strained, culminating in a breakup by April 1972 amid disagreements over Eden's demand for gender reassignment surgery, which Wojtowicz initially resisted despite her depression and hospitalization.[9] [8] Eden attempted suicide on August 19, 1972, after which Wojtowicz relented on supporting the surgery and planned the August 22 bank robbery explicitly to cover its estimated $5,000–$6,000 cost, as he later explained during negotiations by declaring his intent to help his "wife."[9] [8] However, Eden disputed this motive in subsequent accounts, asserting the robbery aimed to repay debts to organized crime figures incurred partly for her wedding dress and other extravagances, rather than purely for her procedure.[13] [8] Eden ultimately underwent the surgery in 1973 using funds from Warner Bros.' purchase of the story rights for the film Dog Day Afternoon, not robbery proceeds.[13] The pair separated during Wojtowicz's imprisonment, and Eden died on September 29, 1987, from AIDS-related pneumonia, which she attributed publicly to cancer and pneumonia to shield her family.[1] [13] Wojtowicz's sexual orientation shifted after his 1967 marriage to Bifulco ended in separation by 1969, following his first admitted homosexual encounter during military basic training in the mid-1960s and subsequent experiences in Vietnam that led him to identify as gay.[1] [9] He joined the Gay Activist Alliance in 1969 post-Stonewall riots, engaging in multiple relationships with men, and during the 1972 bank standoff publicly affirmed, "I'm gay," while advocating for same-sex marriage rights.[8] [1] Despite this, Wojtowicz framed his bond with Eden—whom he consistently addressed with masculine pronouns in interviews—as a profound romantic love transcending conventional labels, insisting he sought to marry and support her transition out of devotion rather than redefining his attractions.[13] This dynamic reflected a polygamous pattern, as associates described him as a "gay polygamist" obsessed primarily with Eden amid other male partners.[1]The Bank Robbery
Planning and Execution
Wojtowicz planned the robbery primarily to obtain funds for gender-reassignment surgery for his partner, Elizabeth Eden, following her suicide attempt on August 19, 1972, though this motive was later disputed by Eden herself, who claimed it involved settling debts to organized crime figures.[1][9] He recruited two accomplices: 18-year-old Salvatore Naturile, who would enter the bank with him, and Robert Westenberg, who served as the getaway driver and lookout.[1][9] The group armed themselves with shotguns and, drawing inspiration from the film The Godfather, drafted a ransom note while scouting potential targets starting August 21.[1][9] Initial attempts at other banks failed due to mishaps, including an accidental shotgun discharge, recognition of Westenberg by an acquaintance, and a car accident during a practice run.[9] On August 22, 1972, the trio drove through Brooklyn searching for a suitable branch before selecting the Chase Manhattan Bank at Avenue P and 18th Avenue in Gravesend, entering shortly after 3:00 p.m. near closing time.[1][9] Westenberg remained outside in the getaway vehicle, but as a teller triggered the silent alarm almost immediately upon the robbers' entry, police sirens prompted him to flee the scene, abandoning Wojtowicz and Naturile.[1][9] Inside, the pair subdued eight employees, herding them into a back room, and accessed the vault, securing approximately $38,000 in cash and $175,000 in traveler's checks—far less than anticipated, as an armored truck had recently collected most deposits.[1] The rapid police response encircled the bank, transforming the brief heist into a prolonged standoff rather than a quick escape.[1]Immediate Events and Hostage Situation
Upon entering the Chase Manhattan Bank branch in Gravesend, Brooklyn, on August 22, 1972, John Wojtowicz, Salvatore Naturile, and Robert Westenberg discovered the vault nearly empty, as the daily cash pickup had already occurred.[8] Westenberg, unable to continue, exited the bank shortly after, leaving Wojtowicz and Naturile inside with the employees.[1] An alarm had been triggered, prompting a rapid police response that encircled the building, transforming the failed robbery into a hostage standoff.[14] Wojtowicz and Naturile took seven bank employees hostage, using them as leverage in negotiations with law enforcement that lasted approximately 14 hours.[14] [9] Wojtowicz demanded food for the hostages, a getaway vehicle, transport to John F. Kennedy International Airport, and an international flight, reportedly to fund sex reassignment surgery for his lover, Elizabeth Eden (born Ernest Aron), who was hospitalized at the time.[8] [9] He ordered pizzas for the group, paying the delivery with approximately $2,000 in stolen bills and even tossing additional cash to the growing crowd of onlookers outside, which numbered around 2,000 by evening.[15] [1] The situation drew significant media attention, with Wojtowicz engaging directly with reporters via phone from inside the bank, amplifying the spectacle.[1] Police and FBI negotiators maintained dialogue throughout, surrounding the site with snipers and patrol cars while attempting to de-escalate.[9] Wojtowicz's behavior during the ordeal was described by hostages as incongruous, blending threats with gestures like insisting on paying for the food, reflecting his self-proclaimed romantic motivations.[15]