See more ideas about the iceman, big guys and serial killers. Richard kuklinski, whose lust for publicity nearly matched blood lust in. Hoffa, his confessions becoming the subject of multiple books and three hbo. In 1988, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of killing two members of his burglary gang and two other associates. Kuklinskis father was known to have beaten one of his children so badly that he died shortly afterwards. Richard kuklinski was found guilty for murdering five people, but is suspected to have been involved in the murders of over onehundred men. The 65 196 cm, 300 pound 5 kg kuklinski lived with his wife and children in the. Richard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935, in new jersey, new jersey. With a body count well above 200, kuklinski was a killer motivated by greed with a hairtrigger temper. Because of his sheer number of kills, as well as his approach to killing, many believe he should be considered a serial killer. Kuklinski, who got his nickname because he often froze his victims bodies and then defrosted them, slipped up that time because the medical examiners found ice. Richard kuklinski, byname the iceman, born april 11, 1935, jersey city, new jersey, u.
Kuklinski then resorted to killing hoffman by beating him to death with a tire iron. His death toll was widely believed to be between 100 and 200 men. Known as the iceman he was a serial killer associated with the decavalcante crime family of newark, new jersey, and the five families of new york city. 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. Iceman killer and hitman richard kuklinski found guilty. Richard leonard the iceman kuklinski april 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 was a polishamerican criminal, convicted murderer and alleged mafia hitman.
The book follows the life of richard kuklinski, a contract killer for the new york mafia. Victims of richard kuklinski the serial killers podcast. Richard kuklinski, known as the iceman, is led into bergen county court. His personal body count was over 100, but the police couldnt touch him. Philip carlo also wrote a book in 2006, entitled the ice man. Where richard kuklinski lived and the locations of his haunts. Arthur rothstein library of congress jersey city in 1939. 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.
Serial killer richard kuklinski aka the iceman, the polack, was active for 38 years between 19491986, known to have 6 confirmed 100 possible victims. Infamous serial killer makes chilling confession about one murder he regretted richard kuklinski nicknamed the iceman earned his place in american folklore as one of the most prolific and feared killers in modern history, claiming more than 250 victims. At home, richard kuklinski was a dedicated suburban family man. 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. He grew up to be a mafia hitman, known as the iceman for frequently immobilizing his casualties to confuse their time of departure. As evil as richard kuklinski seems based on the actions courts could prove about him, authorities have been hesitant to believe some of his claims about other victims. Part of the reason is that although the iceman was anything but pleased at the prospect of life behind bars, he nonetheless loved the spotlight given to him by reporters. Bucks county was apparently where kuklinski did some of his most gruesome dirty work.
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. In 1970, joseph kuklinski, then 25, stole the beloved dog of a local 12yearold girl. Kuklinski was contracted by newarks decavalcante crime family and new yorks five families of the american mafia. Philip carlos the ice man spent over six weeks on the new york times bestseller list. Born on april 11, 1935, richard the iceman kuklinski committed his first murder when he was 14. Richard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935 in jersey city, new jersey, usa as richard leonard kuklinski. Victims suspects psychological profile richard kuklinski. In 1988, kuklinski was convicted of killing two members of his burglary gang, and some other small. United states richard kuklinski was born richard leonard kuklinski on april 11th 1935 in jersey city, new jersey, us. Iceman richard kuklinski the most prolific hitman in. Two documentaries, featuring interviews of kuklinski by dr.
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. 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. The story of robert prongay gets more confusing the more anyone retells it, but it all begins with prolific serial killer and alleged mafia hitman, richard kuklinski. Confessions of a mafia contract killer, offers several stories of kuklinski disposing of a body or bodies in an unnamed bucks county cave. 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.
Known for his barbecues, he was also an usher at mass. Known as the iceman for masking his victims times of death by freezing their corpses, kuklinski claimed to have killed more than 100 people for the five families of the new. The film, titled the iceman, stars the rangy michael shannon as kuklinski, and the waifish winona ryder as his wife, barbara. A few days after kuklinskis death, prosecutors dropped all charges against gravano, saying that. Richard leonard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935 to stanley and anna kuklinski. An autopsy was performed but they determined that he died due to natural causes. During these interviews kuklinski confessed to several coldblooded murders and spoke of his ability to detach himself emotionally from his own brutality. His death was labeled suspicious because richard was supposed to testify against a former mobster who was being tried for murder.
The chilling results aired in three hugely successful hbo documentaries about kuklinskis life. 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. Philip carlo spent more than 240 hours with kuklinski, and hundreds more with his wife and his daughters, as well as with police and underworld sources, researching and ultimately writing this book. 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. He took the credit for over 200 murders while working for various mafia families, including the murder of jimmy hoffa. Park dietz aired on hbo after interviews in 1991 and 2001 and philip carlo also wrote a book in 2006, entitled the ice man. The iceman interview analysis of kuklinski youtube. 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. He was a serial killer who died of natural causes in prison in march, 2006. In 2003, he received an additional 30year sentence after confessing to the murder of a mobconnected police officer. Hitman richard kuklinski at age 8, six years before he would kill his first victim.
He grew up to become a mafia hitman, known as the iceman for often freezing his victims to obscure their time of death. Kuklinski presented himself as a hardworking businessman who was a doting father and husband, yet in reality. Infamous serial killer makes chilling confession about one. Richard kuklinski died on march 5, 2006 at the age of 70. See more ideas about the iceman, serial killers and mafia. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking double life, becoming the most. He thought nothing of killing someone for merely annoying him. Kuklinski was given the nickname iceman for his method of freezing a victim to confuse the time of death. The film makes no mention of kuklinskis more outrageous claims hoffa, demeo, etc. Are the remains of some of kuklinskis victims still hidden. This serial killer was active in the following countries. For an additional price, kuklinski would make his victims suffer. But kuklinski was hiding a dark secret his business was murder.
Sometimes he left his victims there to be eaten alive by rats. Richard the iceman kuklinski parlayed his penchant for violence into a. Richard leonard kuklinski was an american murderer and hitman. He became known as the iceman because he sometimes froze corpses to. 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. He was a writer, known for america undercover 1983, the iceman and the psychiatrist 2003 and the iceman confesses. Richard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935, in jersey city to. He was a professional hitman hired by mafia crime families. Kuklinski was also in a team that killed crime family chief paul castellano, and his bodyguard tommy bilotti, in 1985 a chilling photo of which made the front of new yorks daily news. He was nicknamed the iceman after he was found to have frozen one of his victims in an effort to disguise the time of death. After being detained in 1986, he became enamored with the limelight, giving interviews to writers and shrinks, spilling regarding the myriad ways he had killed his victims and bragging about exactly how. Richard kuklinski april 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 65 196 cm and 270 pounds 122 kg, hbo famous documentary best parts. As the actor depicting kuklinski committed multiple murders on mobsters requests and chopped up his victims, merrick was profoundly focused on how her home life was portrayed. He could recall his stomachchurning murders without expressing the slightest hint of emotion.
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. Kuklinski was nicknamed the iceman by investigators because of taperecorded boasts to the undercover officer that he had stored one of the three other victims in. According to kuklinski, he killed over 200 people over his career. We currently have information on five of his known murder victims and two of his suspected murder victims. Kuklinski earned the nickname iceman because he experimented disguising the time of death of his victims by freezing their corpses in an industrial freezer. Richard kuklinski was one of the most diabolical, and notorious, confessed contract killers in american history. This is because the script was based on anthony brunos book, rather than carlos book. Confessions of a mafia contract killer by philip carlo this was a highly disturbing glimpse into the double life richard kuklinski lead. April 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 was an american murderer and hitman. Naomi ekperigin talks about the early life of serial killer and contract killer richard kuklinksi, aka the iceman, and his eventual capture. Richard kuklinski murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. Iceman convicted in murders, will appeal upi archives. Richard kuklinski, the story of the mafias most prolific. He was the second of four children raised in jersey city, new jersey.
Meet the undercover cop who brought the iceman to justice. Even though they were a devoted catholic family, anna often beat richard during his childhood. Mafia torturer the story of richard kuklinski, the iceman. Even so, it relies on kuklinskis own accounts of his crimes, so it is probably not even remotely accurate. Born on 11 april 1935, richard kuklinski was the son of irish and polish. Richard the iceman kuklinski biography famous people.
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