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. 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. See more ideas about the iceman, big guys and serial killers. Richard kuklinski, on the orders of sammy the bull gravano, took part in the killing of paul castellano at sparks steakhouse.
The film, titled the iceman, stars the rangy michael shannon as kuklinski, and the waifish winona ryder as his wife, barbara. The operation to nab him, his sentencing, his life in jail, those infamous hbo specials, and his end. Jun 07, 20 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 teenagers. Richard kuklinski the iceman the very best of duration. Richard kuklinski, the story of the mafias most prolific. He thought nothing of killing someone for merely annoying him. When finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife nor daughters had any clue about his real profession. April 11, 1935 march 5, 2006 was an american murderer and hitman. He was a writer, known for america undercover 1983, the iceman and the psychiatrist 2003 and the iceman confesses. To look at him, you might guess a couple of different theories as to how he received his famous nickname. Apr 28, 2009 philip carlos the ice man spent over six weeks on the new york times bestseller list. 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 leonard kuklinski was a dreaded american contract killer.
Richard the iceman kuklinski is one of the most prolific hitmen in americas sordid mobster history. Kuklinski was sentenced to life in prison for 6 murders but has claimed to have committed over 200. 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, becoming the most notorious professional assassin in american history while happily hosting neighborhood barbecues in suburban new jersey. 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. Richard kuklinski, the story of the mafias most prolific hitman. Richard the iceman kuklinski biography famous people.
At 65 and 270 pounds, kuklinski certainly made a statement when he entered a room. Richard leonard kuklinski was an american killer who was sentenced for the murder of five people. Jul, 2019 kuklinski, with his two daughters, was the very model of suburban normality. Brunos book on richard kuklinski follows the undercover investigation led by fbi agent dom polifrone and his infiltration of the iceman killer. An autopsy was performed but they determined that he died due to natural causes. After his conviction, kuklinski took part in a number of interviews during which he claimed to have murdered from 100 to 250 men. Kuklinski employed these vile techniques to hide the murders that he was committing mostly for the decavalcante crime family in newark, n. For all the gritty details he loved to share, keep reading to learn 15 terrifying facts about the iceman killer richard kuklinski. Jul 16, 2016 the iceman book on tape part 11 of 11 duration. 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. 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. Jan 05, 2019 richard kuklinski, aka the notorious mafia iceman contract killer, was able to commit acts of mindmelting brutality without blinking. Iceman richard kuklinski the most prolific hitman in.
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. Born in 1935 in new jersey, richard kuklinski suffered a rough upbringing and committed his first murder as a teenager. The true story of a coldblooded killer by anthony bruno. 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. 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. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking. 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.
Because he wasnt italian, he couldnt be made, so he worked for the 5 biggest families in ny. He was given the nickname the iceman by authorities after they discovered that he had frozen the. 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. 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 teenagers. 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 polish man, abused by his parents, grew up poor, made fun of by all the neighborhood boys, and he turned into one of the mafias biggest contract killer. The iceman lieth was mafia assassin richard kuklinski full of sh. Richard kuklinski bio, wife, daughters, son, other family. The biography profiles his life, crimes, and timeline. The film also stars winona ryder as kuklinskis wife renamed deborah, ray liotta as roy demeo, stephen dorff as richards younger brother joey, and chris evans as robert mr. With a body count well above 200, kuklinski was a killer motivated by greed with a hairtrigger temper.
Richard kuklinski was sammy the bull gravanos partner in the killing of paul castellano, then head of the gambino crime family, at sparks. The iceman confessions of a mafia hitman 1991 youtube. 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. Arty pomerantzcoldblooded serial killer richard kuklinski in sunglasses. Richard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935, in jersey city to. Ive had richard ice man kuklinskis 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. Standing at 6foot5 and weighing 270pounds, richard kuklinski was a natural born killer.
Anthony bruno, a writer, after his several interviews with richard wrote a book entitled the iceman. With michael shannon, chris evans, james franco, winona ryder. His first was when he was 14 and he beat a local bully to death with a metal pole and buried his tormentor in a. Michael shannon as kuklinski in the iceman, a movie based on the killers life. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking double life, becoming the most. Learn more about his life and the murders for which he was convicted. Undercover agent who took down notorious serial killer, mob.
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. Confessions of a mafia contract killer by philip carlo. Richard kuklinski died on march 5, 2006 at the age of 70. He was famously given the nickname iceman for his method of freezing a victim which masked the time of death. The story of richard kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man. Born into an abusive family, kuklinski claimed to have killed for the first time at age 14.
Confessions of a mafia contract killer, kuklinski claimed to know the fate of teamsters union boss jimmy hoffa. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. In the iceman michael shannons mesmerizing portrayal of richard kuklinski, a notorious contract killer, has the paradoxical quality, peculiar to. Richard leonard kuklinski was an american murderer and hitman. He was a serial killer who died of natural causes in prison in march, 2006. He could recall his stomachchurning murders without expressing the slightest hint of emotion. He took the credit for over 200 murders while working for various mafia families, including the murder of jimmy hoffa. Richard kuklinski was captured in december 1986, at age 51, and incarcerated for life in 1988. Neither his wife nor daughters had any clue about his real profession being a mafia assassin for hire.
This one tells the spinechilling story of richard kuklinski, a. Coldblooded serial killer richard kuklinski in sunglasses is surrounded while in custody on dec. 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. May 03, 20 coldblooded serial killer richard kuklinski in sunglasses is surrounded while in custody on dec. For thirty years, richard the iceman kuklinski led a shocking double life. Naomi ekperigin talks about the early life of serial killer and contract killer richard kuklinksi, aka the. May 30, 2019 richard kuklinski was one of the most diabolical, and notorious, confessed contract killers in american history.
He eventually found a living as a hitman for the genovese, gambino. Richard kuklinski was born on april 11, 1935 in jersey city, new jersey, usa as richard leonard kuklinski. His personal body count was over 100, but the police couldnt touch him. Richard kuklinski biography facts, childhood, family of. Richard the iceman kuklinski public group facebook. In 1988, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of killing two members of his burglary gang and two other associates. I had never heard of richard kuklinski until this book.
As a boy, richard discovered he liked killing animals not as in hunting, but killing neighborhood cats. Confessions of a mafia contract killer, his new york times bestselling book about richard ice man kuklinski. Richard kuklinski was born in new jersey in 1935 to an alcoholic father and religious, doting mother. Where richard kuklinski lived and the locations of his haunts. At home, richard kuklinski was a dedicated suburban family man.
He grew up to be a mafia hitman, known as the iceman for frequently immobilizing his casualties to confuse their time of departure. Philip carlos the ice man spent over six weeks on the new york times bestseller list. See more ideas about the iceman, serial killers and mafia. Richard kuklinski, byname the iceman, born april 11, 1935, jersey city, new jersey, u.
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. Nope, nothing to do with danny zuko but richard kuklinski aka the iceman greased a hell of a. 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. Richard kuklinski, aka the notorious mafia iceman contract killer, was able to commit acts of mindmelting brutality without blinking.
The ice man is a very detailed book that outlines richard kuklinskis life, how. Meet the undercover cop who brought the iceman to justice. 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. 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. 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. Arthur rothstein library of congress jersey city in 1939. Richard the iceman kuklinski last podcast on the left. Kulinski joined the army of the dead on march 5, 2006, when he died of heart failure in prison. His death was labeled suspicious because richard was supposed to testify against a former mobster who was being tried for murder. 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. Because of his sheer number of kills, as well as his approach to killing, many believe he should be considered a serial killer. Confessions of a mafia contract killer by philip carlo this was a highly disturbing glimpse into the double life richard kuklinski lead.
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