Warning. This series contains scenes of graphic violence and is intended for mature audiences

only. Listener discretion is advised.

Richard Kuklinski was now working as a freelance contract killer for all the big New York

mob families. As word spread of his efficient, diligent reputation, Richard was traveling

all over the world to execute, pun intended, his contracts. And no matter the situation,

he approached every one of them methodically and calmly and kept his mouth shut when

the job was finished. A non-italian hitman who could be trusted was rare and Richard's

murder-scheduling book was always full. Now, in the summer of 1976, Richard was on his way

to Los Angeles for a job. He had flown to LA the previous year to handle some personal business,

by which he meant he used a hand grenade to kill a porn shop owner who owed him $10,000.

Now he was in town on a job for Roy DeMail, the Gambino family associate who was most closely

connected to Richard. The man Richard needed to hunt down was craftier than most.

He lived in a pink condo complex in Sherman Oaks and he rarely left his home. When he did,

he made sure there were plenty of witnesses. Richard watched the man for days and waited for

an opportunity. But the longer Richard hung around, the greater the chance someone would be able

to identify him. He was six foot five and weighed well over two hundred pounds. He stuck out in

the crowd. Richard became frustrated, a rarity for him. Finally, an idea hit him. He had seen it work

on a Bugs Bunny cartoon and figured he had nothing to lose. Richard approached the man's door

and knocked several times. He knew the man was home and saw the light through the people as the man

pressed his eye against it. Richard knocked again and waited as he saw a blurred shadow approach

the door. Richard placed the barrel of his 38 against the people. When the shadowy figure filled

the frame, which meant he was looking through the inside of the people, Richard fired,

...