Serial killer and mafia hit man richard kuklinski claimed to have. He killed neighborhood cats as a youth and said he committed his first murder at 14, after which, he said, he felt empowered. Richard kuklinski, whose lust for publicity nearly matched blood lust in claiming to. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to the 1980 murder of nypd detective peter calabro and drew another 30 years. He became known as the iceman because he sometimes froze corpses to. Using guns, knives, poison, ice picks, tire irons, baseball bats, and bombs, the family man from new jersey killed for fun, for money, to cover up his own crimes, and to. Even so, it relies on kuklinskis own accounts of his crimes, so it is probably not even remotely accurate. However, many people believed he murdered two hundred people based on claims by kuklinski himself. Died on this day in 2006, aged 70 richard the iceman kuklinski known as the iceman due to the fact he would often freeze his victims to obscure their time of death, was described as one of the most violent contracted hitmen who worked for numerous prominent mafia crime families. The film makes no mention of kuklinskis more outrageous claims hoffa, demeo, etc. Kuklinski claims in the book to have killed more than 200 people. An autopsy was performed but they determined that he died due to natural causes. Richard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935, in jersey city to. Kuklinski was eventually convicted of two murders in 1988, and six in total, but it is estimated that he killed as many as 250 people, mostly.
Because of his sheer number of kills, as well as his approach to killing, many believe he should be considered a serial killer. Richard leonard kuklinski the iceman contract killer. Although accounts vary, kuklinski claimed to have murdered over one hundred fifty individuals during his thirtyyear career, including a new york police department. In 1970, joseph kuklinski, then 25, stole the beloved dog of a local 12yearold girl. Serial killer richard leonard kuklinski aka the iceman. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking double life. Richard kuklinski the iceman documentary warning graphic material richard leonard kuklinski apr 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 was an american contract killer, mass murderer who was convicted of. In announcing his death to the associated press, a spokeswoman for the. He was the older brother of the convicted rapist and murderer joseph kuklinski.
In 1988, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of killing two members of his burglary gang and two other associates. Richard the iceman kuklinski was shaped by violent. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking double life, becoming the most notorious. Richard the iceman kuklinski is one of the most prolific hitmen in americas sordid mobster history. Richard the iceman kuklinski parlayed his penchant for violence into a. Richard kuklinski, 70, a killer of many people and many. Richard leonard kuklinski was an american killer who was sentenced for the murder of five people. Readers expecting insight into the mind of kuklinski, a man who claims to have murdered over one hundred people, will like the iceman reads much more like a crime novel than it does a work of nonfiction. Philip carlo also wrote a book in 2006, entitled the ice man. He was a mob hitman known as the iceman, a nickname he earned for keeping many of his victims remains locked away in a storage freezer. Richard kuklinski simple english wikipedia, the free.
Where richard kuklinski lived and the locations of his haunts. Confessions of a mafia contract killer by philip carlo. He was a professional hitman hired by mafia crime families. Carlos book which includes excerpts from more than 240 hours of interviews with kuklinski paints a picture of a man who seems to have been a. In 2003, he received an additional 30year sentence after confessing to the murder of a mobconnected police officer. Richard kuklinski claimed that he was one of the hitmen who killed the infamous mobster and the boss of the bonanno crime family, carmine galante. Though strictly an amateur, and no match for his brother richard the iceman in terms of sheer numbers, joseph kuklinski, ran away with the title for most vile. The guys at last podcast pointed out that kuklinskis symptoms were similar to mercury poisoning and he was due to testify against sammy the bull gravano in regards to the contract killing of a nypd detective in 1980. See more ideas about the iceman, serial killers and mafia. Richard kuklinski murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. A mob contract killer known as the iceman for hiding a body in an icecream truck freezer, richard kuklinski boasted a personal body count of more than a hundred victims. Kuklinski told him hed give god 30 minutes to save his life, and actually made the poor man wait.
Richard the iceman kuklinski parlayed his penchant for violence into a hitman contract for some of the most prominent mafia crime families, and is believed to have killed between 100200 men. His death toll was widely believed to be between 100 and 200 men. This book really captured my imagination and gave me a different outlook on some of the. Some of the crimes he perpetrated are beyond belief, the embodiment of living nightmares. Revisiting the spinechilling murder scenes of richard kuklinski, the notorious contract killer, who claimed to have killed between 100 to 250 people.
Richard leonard kuklinski april 11, 1935 march 5, 2006, also known as the iceman, was an american contract killer hitman who was convicted of murdering six people. This discovery helped authorities to deduce that kuklinski used a freezer as part of his modus operandi and led them to give kuklinski the nickname iceman. Softie the partner of richard kuklinski that drove an ice cream truck was killed by the iceman on a park bench and left there to be found later. Ryszard jerzy kuklinski june, 1930 february 11, 2004 was a polish colonel and cold war spy for nato. At home, richard kuklinski was a dedicated suburban family man. Kuklinski would later claim that he killed demeo, who was found dead in the trunk of his car in january 1983.
Richard kuklinski earned his place in the serial killer hall of fame by killing for the east coast mafia as well as killing as his violent temper urged him on. Referred to as the ice man and dreaded throughout the criminal underworld, he was for a time a top mafia hit man. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking double life, becoming the most notorious professional assassin in american history while happily hosting neighborhood barbecues in suburban new jersey. The iceman tapes richard kuklinski inside the mind of a mafia hitman duration. Richard kuklinski, better known as the iceman, was convicted of murdering six people, but he claimed to have killed hundreds and the prosecutors didnt doubt it. Driver, formerly a producer of tvs americas most wanted, splices segments from his prison interviews of hit man richard kuklinski with the reminiscences of his wife, barbara. Before he was going to murder a man, the man began to pray to god.
When richard kuklinski died in a prison hospital wing in new jersey. Kuklinski passed top secret soviet documents to the cia between 1972 and 1981, including the soviet plans for the invasion of western europe. He was famously given the nickname iceman for his method of freezing a victim which masked the time of death. Richard kuklinski biography facts, childhood, family of. But kuklinski was hiding a dark secret his business was murder. This is because the script was based on anthony brunos book, rather than carlos book. He worked for several italianamerican crime families and claimed to have murdered over 200 people over a career that lasted better than thirty years. Nope, nothing to do with danny zuko but richard kuklinski aka the iceman greased a. At the age of, he beat a local bully to death and disposed of the body in an icy river. Archaeologists turned to a modern day sherlock holmes to figure out the circumstances surrounding the crime. Richard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935, in jersey city. Brunos book and the first documentary were the basis for the 2012 motion.
Brunos book on richard kuklinski follows the undercover investigation led by fbi agent dom polifrone and his infiltration of the iceman killer. Was richard the iceman kuklinski poisoned in prison. He worked for several italianamerican crime families, and claimed to have murdered over 200 people over a career that lasted thirty years. Richard kuklinski was one of the most diabolical, and notorious, confessed contract killers in american history. This book about the iceman, richard kuklinski a six foot five inch 300 plus pound mad who lived a life of crime from dubbing porn to theft to the worst crime a human can commit murder and not just one murder but hundreds so many he cant give an exact number. Richard the iceman kuklinski public group facebook. April 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 was an american murderer and hitman. He took the credit for over 200 murders while working for various mafia families, including the murder of jimmy hoffa. In a tawdry account, barbara kuklinski describes 25 years of abuse at the hands of her husband, a convicted new jersey hit man who claims to have killed dozens of times. He grew up to become a mafia hitman, known as the iceman for often freezing his victims to obscure their time of death. Kuklinski gave another 240 hours of interviews to crime writer, phillip carlo, for his book, the iceman, which came out in 2006, months after the. Richard kuklinski, aka the iceman, was a mafia hit man who may have killed hundreds of people without blinking or. Arthur rothstein library of congress jersey city in 1939. The hit man, who died in prison in 2006, was reportedly a pathological liar.
Richard leonard kuklinski was a dreaded american contract killer. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Richard kuklinskis childhood april 26, 2014 2 comments richard kuklinski, americas most treacherous serial killer and a mafia hitman who is believed to have killed more than 150 people was born on april 11, 1935 in jersey city, new jersey to stanley kuklinski and anna mcnally and had two brothers and a sister. Iceman killer and hitman richard kuklinski found guilty. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of brigadier general by polish president andrzej duda. To look at him, you might guess a couple of different theories as to how he received his famous nickname. The book recounts his life of crime and the killings. Kuklinski, with his two daughters, was the very model of suburban normality.
He was the subject of the 1983 published book the iceman. Eventually five unsolved homicides, including the deaths of hoffman, smith, deppner, masgay, and george malliband found in jersey city on february 5, 1980 were linked to kuklinski. With a body count well above 200, kuklinski was a killer motivated by greed with a hairtrigger temper. A shocking, dark true story of a man who has turned death into a living, the ice man is. The true story of a coldblooded killer and two cable television documentaries, the iceman. Kuklinski claimed he filmed these deaths as proof to the buyer that the people did suffer before. Iceman, born april 11, 1935, jersey city, new jersey, u. As a child, richard the iceman kuklinski tortured and killed stray cats and dogs. Richard leonard kuklinski apr 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 was an american contract killer who was convicted of murdering six people, though the true number of murders he committed is speculated to be over two hundred based on claims by kuklinski himself. Richard kuklinski, american serial killer, known as the iceman, who. Richard kuklinski, the story of the mafias most prolific.
Known for his barbecues, he was also an usher at mass. The biography profiles his life, crimes, and timeline. Richard iceman kuklinski april 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 was a convicted murderer and notorious contract killer. Philip carlos the ice man spent over six weeks on the new york times bestseller list. Richard kuklinski, byname the iceman, born april 11, 1935, jersey city, new jersey, u. For 30 years, richard the ice man kuklinski led a double life beyond anything ever seen on the sopranos, becoming one of the most notorious professional assassins in american history while hosting neighbourhood barbecues in suburban new jersey kuklinski was sammy the bull gravanos partner in the killing of paul castellano, john gotti hired him. Married to the iceman as the iceman, a film about the serial killer richard kuklinski, is released, his widow barbara tells her true story to adam higginbotham barbara and richard kuklinski as. Richard kuklinski, a suspect in several murders, is arrested by undercover agents at a truck stop off the new jersey turnpike, marking the culmination of the. Richard leonard kuklinski was an american murderer and hitman. For all the gritty details he loved to share, keep reading to learn 15 terrifying facts about the iceman killer richard kuklinski. The death of the iceman in 1988, a new jersey court convicted kuklinski of five murders and sentenced him to consecutive life sentences, making him ineligible for parole until age 110.
A throwback to the spinechilling murder scenes of richard. At 65 and 270 pounds, kuklinski certainly made a statement when he entered a room. His claims are similar to those of frank sheeran, a former delaware teamsters official and mob hit man, who said in a may 2004 biography that he killed hoffa in a house in northwest detroit. Richard kuklinski was in life a true monster and a sadistic murderer. He was associated with members of the american mafia, namely the decavalcante crime family of newark, new jersey, and. Kuklinski had a do not resuscitate order and asked for it to be rescinded, however his exwife did not comply. Ive had richard ice man kuklinski s claims on my mind for some time now, and with the fbi recently scouring detroit for jimmy hoffa and a movie starring michael shannon as kuklinski being released in may, this seems as good a time as any to examine what the notorious hitman had to say prior to his death in 2006. Born on april 11, 1935, richard the iceman kuklinski committed his first murder when he was 14. See more ideas about the iceman, serial killers and big guys.
Operation iceman nabs murderer richard kuklinski history. Born the third of four children to stanley and anna kuklinski in 1935, some might argue young richard started out as innocent as any other newborn baby. The early spring of 2012 marked a little over a year since my first reading of philip carlos book the ice man a book about the life and times of mafia hit man richard kuklinski. He thought nothing of killing someone for merely annoying him. His death was labeled suspicious because richard was supposed to testify against a former mobster who was being tried for murder. Kuklinski was contracted by newarks decavalcante crime family and new yorks five families of the american mafia. Richard kuklinski was born, the second of four children, on april 11, 1935, to polishirish parents in a poor area in. Victims suspects psychological profile richard kuklinski. Born on 11 april 1935, richard kuklinski was the son of irish and polish.