Four decades after his arrest, Richard Kuklinski—aka the Iceman, New Jersey's most notorious serial killer—continues to affect those closest to him. His son is now speaking publicly about that impact.
In a candid Rolling Stone interview, Dwayne Kuklinski, 57, discusses what it has meant to be the Iceman's child. The construction worker has spent decades receiving unsettling fan mail from people who idolize his father—a convicted murderer who claimed mob ties and allegedly froze bodies to hide evidence.
"I can still show you friend requests, 400 or 500 from people who idolize my dad," Dwayne says. He draws a stark contrast: "People idolize the Kardashians. Was my dad a role model? Absolutely not. Should he be anybody's role model? Why would you want that to be your role model?"
Even at his day job, Dwayne cannot escape his father's shadow. A construction crewmate once told him he looked exactly like the Iceman—same piercing eyes, neat goatee, imposing frame. When Dwayne replied, "Yeah, well, that's my dad," the man was visibly terrified.
Richard Kuklinski was convicted of murdering five men in 1988, though he boasted of killing far more—claims law enforcement has disputed. His nickname came from his method: he would freeze victims to obscure their time of death. Books, documentaries, and countless true-crime forums have since made him a figure of fascination.
For his family, the Iceman is not legend but a source of lasting pain. "Does this affect our lives? Yes," says Dwayne's sister, Merrick Grayson. "Have we healed? Probably not."
Dwayne's account reveals what lies behind true-crime obsession: real people still living with the consequences.
