Richard leonard kuklinski was an american killer who was sentenced for the murder of five people. His death was labeled suspicious because richard was supposed to testify against a former mobster who was being tried for murder. 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. Meet the undercover cop who brought the iceman to justice. 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. For more than forty years, richard the ice man kuklinski led a double life, becoming one of the most notorious professional assassins in american history while hosting neighborhood barbecues in suburban new jersey. His wife lived on a razors edge between the caring, generous husband and the bellowing, raging giant who broke her nose.
April 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 was an american murderer and hitman. The true story of a coldblooded killer by anthony bruno. While we were reading the book, neither one of us spoke to the other for days. Philip carlos the ice man spent over six weeks on the new york times bestseller list. Later, according to kuklinski, an accomplice started to talk to federal authorities. Richard the iceman kuklinski biography famous people. Other facts about richard kuklinski books, death a threepart documentary was made and aired in 1992, 2001 and 2003 respectively by the hbo about the crime life of richard kuklinski. Jul 16, 2016 philip leonetti mafia prince part 5 rip kobe bryant as it happend duration. Serial killer or hitman the iceman, richard kuklinski. At 65 and 270 pounds, kuklinski certainly made a statement when he entered a room. With michael shannon, chris evans, james franco, winona ryder. The true story of a coldblooded killer from which a film.
Anthony bruno, a writer, after his several interviews with richard wrote a book entitled the iceman. See more ideas about the iceman, killer, serial killers. 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. Philip leonetti mafia prince part 5 rip kobe bryant as it happend duration.
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. 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. Mar 22, 2018 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. Each christmas found the kuklinski home festooned in colorful lights. The last section of the book, section 5, is called homicide superstar, a 10 chapter section that tells the tale of the final fall of richard kuklinski. Born into an abusive family, kuklinski claimed to have killed for the first time at age 14. With a body count well above 200, kuklinski was a killer motivated by greed with a hairtrigger temper. Apr 28, 2009 philip carlos the ice man spent over six weeks on the new york times bestseller list. The operation to nab him, his sentencing, his life in jail, those infamous hbo specials, and his end. Really, his days and nights were spent carrying out the dirty work of the american mafia as a hired hit man. He was a serial killer who died of natural causes in prison in march, 2006. Richard kuklinski, the story of the mafias most prolific hitman.
Carlo the night stalker has written another captivating truecrime book. Michael shannon plays kuklinski in the 2012 film the iceman loosely based on anthony brunos book the iceman. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking double life. He was a polish man, abused by his parents, grew up poor, made fun of by all the neighborhood boys, and. Richard kuklinski biography facts, childhood, family of. Based solely on what weve written about richard kuklinski in this article, his nickname, the iceman, already feels wholly appropriate. When finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife nor daughters had any clue about his real profession. 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. 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. Once behind bars, the iceman claimed that, between 1948 and 1986, he killed over 100 men on the job. In 1988, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of killing two members of his burglary gang and two other associates. These two psychopathy measures were chosen to evaluate the deceased criminal richard kuklinski, also known as the iceman killer. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking double life, becoming the most. Arthur rothstein library of congress jersey city in 1939.
Kuklinski, an american contract killer for the italian mafia, claimed to have killed a couple hundred men before he was eventually caught in 1988. In the 1960s, richard kuklinski is working as a porn film lab tech until his mob bosses persuade him to change his career into that of a contract killer. Richard the iceman kuklinski last podcast on the left. Confessions of a mafia contract killer, kuklinski claimed to know the fate of teamsters union boss jimmy hoffa. A ruthless killer with no second thoughts about his actions, kuklinski was stone cold in every sense of the phrase. He took the credit for over 200 murders while working for various mafia families, including the murder of jimmy hoffa. Richard the iceman kuklinski public group facebook.
Confessions of a mafia contract killer by philip carlo. Richard kuklinski is now the subject of the major motion picture titled the iceman20, starring james. Arty pomerantzcoldblooded serial killer richard kuklinski in sunglasses. His personal body count was over 100, but the police couldnt touch him. This stomachturning account of the multiple atrocities committed over 43 years by richard the ice man kuklinskias sadistic a killer as most. See more ideas about the iceman, serial killers and big guys. Richard leonard kuklinski was a dreaded american contract killer. One evening in 2012, merrick kuklinski attended the premier of a film about her late father, richard, the notorious new jersey killer and reputed mafia hit man. Richard kuklinski died on march 5, 2006 at the age of 70. An autopsy was performed but they determined that he died due to natural causes. Richard leonard kuklinski was an american murderer and hitman. This one tells the spinechilling story of richard kuklinski, a.
Naomi ekperigin talks about the early life of serial killer and contract killer richard kuklinksi, aka the. Richard kuklinski, byname the iceman, born april 11, 1935, jersey city, new jersey, u. Standing at 6foot5 and weighing 270pounds, richard kuklinski was a natural born killer. Richard kuklinski was captured in december 1986, at age 51, and incarcerated for life in 1988. 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. To look at him, you might guess a couple of different theories as to how he received his famous nickname. 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. Covering the exploits of reallife mafia hitman richard kuklinski, the ice man. The biography profiles his life, crimes, and timeline.
Richard kuklinski the iceman the very best of duration. Richard kuklinski, on the orders of sammy the bull gravano, took part in the killing of paul castellano at sparks steakhouse. Brunos book on richard kuklinski follows the undercover investigation led by fbi agent dom polifrone and his infiltration of the iceman killer. May 30, 2019 richard kuklinski was one of the most diabolical, and notorious, confessed contract killers in american history. The ice man is a very detailed book that outlines richard kuklinskis life, how he was raised, and how he became a contract killer.
Where richard kuklinski lived and the locations of his haunts. Richard kuklinski was a contract killerhitman for numerous organized crime outfits in the united states, though he is best known for murders carried out in the service of the decavalcante family. He was famously given the nickname iceman for his method of freezing a victim which masked the time of death. The iceman is a 2012 american biographical crime film about notorious hitman richard kuklinski. This book portrayed the iceman so clearly, some parts were hard to think about. The story of richard kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man. Jan 01, 1993 brunos book on richard kuklinski follows the undercover investigation led by fbi agent dom polifrone and his infiltration of the iceman killer. For all the gritty details he loved to share, keep reading to learn 15 terrifying facts about the iceman killer richard kuklinski. Confessions of a mafia contract killer takes you down a rathole of constant and extreme violence carried out with total and complete indifference. Kuklinski, with his two daughters, was the very model of suburban normality. He was given the nickname the iceman by authorities after they discovered that he had frozen the. His personality, the fear he struck in others, he comes alive in these pages.
Jul, 2019 kuklinski, with his two daughters, was the very model of suburban normality. The film, titled the iceman, stars the rangy michael shannon as kuklinski, and the waifish winona ryder as his wife, barbara. 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. Released in 2012 at the venice film festival, the film was directed by ariel vromen, and stars michael shannon as kuklinski, winona ryder, chris evans, and ray liotta. At home, richard kuklinski was a dedicated suburban family man. He thought nothing of killing someone for merely annoying him. Richard kuklinskis career as a businessman was a guise. Philip carlos the ice man spent over six weeks on the new york times bestseller.
Kulinski joined the army of the dead on march 5, 2006, when he died of heart failure in prison. 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. 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. Richard kuklinski bio, wife, daughters, son, other family. Jun 07, 20 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. Confessions of a mafia contract killer by philip carlo this was a highly disturbing glimpse into the double life richard kuklinski lead. I had never heard of richard kuklinski until this book. Coldblooded serial killer richard kuklinski in sunglasses is surrounded while in custody on dec. Richard kuklinski is now the subject of the major motion picture titled the iceman 20, starring james franco, winona ryder, ray liotta, and chris evans. May 03, 20 coldblooded serial killer richard kuklinski in sunglasses is surrounded while in custody on dec. Readers expecting insight into the mind of kuklinski, a man who claims to have murdered over one hundred people, will the iceman reads much more like a crime novel than it does a work of nonfiction. In prison, he allowed interviews with writers, psychiatrists and criminologists, waxing hyperbolic about exactly how many guys he killed up to 200 and appearing in two hbo documentaries.
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. Richard the iceman kuklinski is one of the most prolific hitmen in americas sordid mobster history. Readers expecting insight into the mind of kuklinski, a man who claims to have murdered over one hundred people, will. Richard kuklinski was one of the most diabolical, and notorious, confessed contract killers in american history. Richard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935, in jersey city to. 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. In the 1960s, richard kuklinski is working as a porn film lab tech until his mob bosses persuade him to. The film also stars winona ryder as kuklinski s wife renamed deborah, ray liotta as roy demeo, stephen dorff as richard s younger brother joey, and chris evans as robert mr. Richard kuklinski is now the subject of the major motion picture titled the iceman20, starring james franco, winona ryder, ray liotta. Kuklinski was sentenced to life in prison for 6 murders but has claimed to have committed over 200. 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.
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