Kuklinski Richard - The ice man: confessions of a mafia contract killer

Stolen Flower

The Night Stalker

Predators and Prayers

Smiling Wolf

CONFESSIONS OF A MAFIA CONTRACT KILLER

St. Martins Griffin

New York

THE ICE MAN. Copyright 2006 by Philip Carlo. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martins Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

www.stmartins.com

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Carlo, Philip.

The Ice Man: confessions of a mafia contract killer / Philip Carlo.

p. cm.

ISBN: 978-1-4299-0266-3

1.Kuklinski, Richard. 2. Serial murderersNew JerseyBiography. 3. Serial murdersNew JerseyCase studies. I. Title.

HV6248.K75 C37 2006
364.152'3092dc22
[B]

2006041720

This work is dedicated to my agent and dear friend, Matt Bialer,
for always being there, for his constant help, guidance, and unwavering support. This has been a long, bumpy road, Matt, a harrowing journey
I could not have made without you.

T his book is based on over 240 hours of one-on-one interviews with Richard Kuklinski at Trenton State Prison. When and where possible all the crimes and murders Richard and I discussed were verified with underground Mafia contacts, police sources, documents, crime-scene reports, and photographs. When Richard and I discussed his life and the crimes he committed over a forty-three-year period, he never bragged or boasted. Indeed, much of what is contained in this book had to be prodded and encouraged out of him. In my estimation, Richard was always honest and truthful, sincere and forthright in the extreme.

The names of certain individuals connected with this story have been changed.

I first wish to thank my editor, Charlie Spicer at St. Martins Press, for all his expert advice, his guidance, and his belief in this book from the moment it arrived on his desk. Also his right-hand man, Joe Cleemann, was a huge help, on numerous levels. Many thanks also to John Murphy and Gregg Sulivan for their belief in and support of this book. Gaby Monet at HBO was an invaluable friend and assisted me greatly with understanding the enormous complexities of this story. Many thanks to my loyal friend and confidant, Mike Kostrewa, for all his guidance and expertise about Jersey City and the Polish people and culture. I also wish to thank Trenton State Prison for allowing me access to Richard Kuklinski at the facility. Also, thanks to Anna Bierhouse for her suggestions, and all the good people at Sanford Greenburger, the best literary agency in the world; they still treat writers like sensitive artists, a rare thing these days. I would be remiss if I didnt thank my parents, Dante and Nina Carlo, for their unwavering support. My gratitude to Crystal Proenza for her patience and good cheer in turning my voluminous handwritten drafts into flawless manuscripts. I also wish to thank Barbara, Merrick, Chris, and Dwayne Kuklinski for their honest feelings and kind input.

Lieutenant Patrick Kane of the New Jersey State Police was an invaluable source of detail, facts, emotion, times, and places. Also, Sergeant Rob Anzalotti and his partner, Detective Mark Bennul, were very helpful in shining light on the dark, violent phenomenon that was Richard Leonard Kuklinskis life.

Capo crimini/capo di tutti capi: superboss/boss of bosses

Capo: boss/Don

Consigliere: trusted adviser or family counselor

Sotto Capo/Capo bastone: underboss, second in command

Contabile: financial adviser

Caporegime or capodecina: lieutenant, typically heads a crew comprising ten or more soldiers

Sgarrista: a foot soldier who carries out the day-to-day business of the family, a made member of the Mafia

Picciotto: lower-ranking soldier, enforcer; also known in the streets as the button man

Giovane dhonore: Mafia associate, typically a non-Sicilian or non-Italian member

My husband is a good man, a kind mana great father. All my childrens friends are always saying they wish they had a dad like my husbandlike Richard.

Mrs. Barbara Kuklinski
on the day Richard was arrested

Richard is both fascinating and as frightening as your worst nightmare. He represents the worst of who we areyet, he is absolutely fascinating to listen to.

Sheila Nevins
HBO producer

This is the devilNo question about it. This is the devil!

Dominick Polifrone
Undercover AFT operative

Hes responsible for over two hundred murdersI mean personally responsible.

Gaby Monet
HBO producer

Id never hurt a woman or a child. Its just not in me.

Richard Kuklinski

He killed with guns, poison, bats, knives, strangulation, his fists, ice picks, screwdrivers, hand grenades, and even fire. Weve never seen anything like him. Truth is, weve never even heard of anything like him.

Bob Carroll
New Jersey deputy attorney general

Even now, I mean so many years later, my stomach gets all tense and my hands tremble when I think about him. But I love my dad. I love him a lot! None of it was his fault. My father married the wrong woman.

Merrick Kuklinski
Richards oldest daughter

When he told me he loved me, which he often did, Id say Me too. Thats itjust Me too.

Barbara Kuklinski

My father terrorized us. We never knew when or where hed explode. We tried to hide it from my brother because he would have tried to do something, protect us, you know, protect my mother, and my father wouldve killed him, Im sure. One time this woman with kids in her car cut him off and he got out of the car at a light and tore the womans door right off her car.

Chris Kuklinski
Richards daughter

They thought I didnt know what he was doing, but I saw all the broken furniture and I knew my father did it. I saw my mothers black eyes. I kept an ax under my bed and a machete just next to the bed because of him.

Dwayne Kuklinski
Richards son

Hes very crafty and cunning, like some kind of jungle predator that nobody ever sees until its too late. We knew about himI knew about him, was tracking him for years, but could never pin anything on him.

Detective Pat Kane
New Jersey State Police

My mother was cancer. She slowly destroyed everything around her. She produced two killers; me and my brother Joe.

Richard Kuklinski

There are two Richards, and I never knew who would be walking in the door. He could be generous to a fault, or the meanest man on earth.

Barbara Kuklinski

We called him the Ice Man because he froze some of his victims, kept them in an icebox he had for a while, then put them out so we could not tell when the murder actually took place, you see.

Paul Smith New
Jersey Organized Crime and Racketeering Bureau investigator

I became very promiscuous because of my father. The only thing I had control of was my body. I did what I wantedI did what he didnt want me to do. I lost my virginity when I was twelve to an older man in a van. Just some guy who picked me up at a bus stop on the corner there.