Richard Kuklinski: The Iceman interview part 1

Richard Kuklinsky

In forensics, the study of a criminal mind can often be complicated. This is problematic for professionals who are trying to understand the motives of these individuals. To fully appreciate the different techniques requires looking at the minds of these individuals. This will be accomplished by providing a summary of the Iceman Confessions of a Mafia Hitman. Once this takes place, is when specific insights will be provided to understand the motives that are impacting this person.

Summary the Iceman Confessions of a Mafia Hitman

In the video the Iceman Confessions of a Mafia Hitman, Richard Kuklinsky is talking about what it feels like to be a cold blooded killer for hire. This occurred with him coming from an abusive home and poor environment. As his mother believed that he should be from a strict religious background often involving a series of beatings. Then, when he was a teenager, he learned to stand up to his abusers on the street. This changed his perception about wanting to be the abuser. ("The Iceman Confessions," 2011)

Once this occurred, is when Kuklinsky became known as a tough guy with a hair trigger. Later on, he married and had a family with a woman named Barbara. As his family began to grow, the lack of money forced him to begin working with the Gambino crime family. They quickly moved him up the chain as one of the top enforcers. Known for his brutality, Kuklinsky became the perfect person for enforcing different policies and settling disputes of the family. ("The Iceman Confessions," 2011)

At the same time, he was able to maintain a stable lifestyle by moving into an upper middle class neighborhood. On the surface, he was considered to be an upstanding citizen. However, unbeknownst to his wife and kids he was actively involved in a variety of hits. Some of the preferred methods that he used include: guns, strangulation, knives and poison. ("The Iceman Confessions," 2011)

During the interview, he discusses a number of hits that were committed and how he was able to conduct these crimes. Moreover, there is an emphasis on Kuklinsky's emotions and feelings about these events. For example, during Christmas Eve he was ordered to conduct a contract killing (on a man who believed that he was untouchable). After, brutally shooting the man (with a sawed off shotgun) is when he would return to his family. During the process of putting the toys together, is when he heard about these events (with little to no emotion). ("The Iceman Confessions," 2011) This is illustrating how Kuklinsky was living two different lives that were often conflicting with each other.