Lords of Death - Crook County: The Secret Double Life of a Mafia Hitman

Episode Date: February 11, 2025

For over 20 years, Ken Tekiela was a celebrated firefighter, husband, and father of two —but he led a secret, double life as a hitman for the Chicago mob. When the truth came out, it destroyed his family. Now, his son Kyle, host of Crook County, is left to pick up the pieces. Crook County is the shocking true crime podcast about Kenny “The Kid” Tekiela’s rise through the ranks of the legendary organized crime syndicate, the Chicago Outfit, and the lasting impact this has on a family. From iHeartRadio and Tenderfoot TV, welcome to Crook County. Follow the show here. To binge the full season, subscribe to Tenderfoot+. Click here for more details: https://tenderfoot.tv/plus To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey lords and death listeners, this is Thrasher. I want to tell you about a new true crime series called Crook County from iHeart Podcast and Tinderfoot TV. In Crook County, you'll meet Ken, a celebrated firefighter, husband, and loving father. And you'll learn the truth about Ken. That for over 20 years, he led a secret double life as a hitman for the legendary organized crime syndicate, the Chicago Outfit. A secret that shattered his family. Check out this trailer. While you listen, search Crook County in your podcast app to

follow the show. I've done criminal defense now for almost 37 years. It takes one guy out there to say, who's that fucking asshole Kyle who thinks he can just get on a goddamn microphone on a podcast and start publicizing this shit? Earlier this morning, detectives and federal agents invaded a junkyard in DuPage County, just west of Chicago. In keeping with the legendary MO of the Chicago mob, officials fully expected that they might find corpses inside the trunk of the automobile.

From iHeart Podcasts and Tenderfoot TV comes a new true crime podcast, Crook County. I got recruited into the mob when I was 17 years old. Me Kenny, aka The Kid. I ran whorehouses and I did hits. An enforcer for the legendary Chicago outfit. I wanted him to know I meant fucking business here. Put the gun back up to his forehead. He lived a secret double life as a firefighter paramedic

for the Chicago Fire Department. I had a wife and I had two children. Nobody knew anything. I always believed whatever he said, so I was not aware. Nobody knew anything. I always believed whatever he said. So I was not aware of his mafia involvement. Dad was a fucking crazy bastard. Welcome to Crook County.

The true story of one man's life inside organized crime. And his family left to pick up the pieces when it all went wrong. You can see why he could be an enforcer. People are dying. Is he doing this every night? Does he go out when they go to bed and they don't even know he's not even in the house? Torn between two worlds. Just when you think you're away from all this shit,

I'm covering up fucking murders that these cops are doing. Tearing him and his family apart. I don't know why I deserve this. Ken's gonna die one day, and now Ken's gotta sit in front of the big guy and try to explain his way out of this one. You know, where I had every fucking opportunity in the world to do the right thing.

But I chose not to. Ken is this great guy, and he's a legend and... Dad was a heroin addict. He was a freaking crazy man. We don't know who he is, really. He is my father. And I had no idea about any of this. Until now.

Welcome to Crook County. Available now. Listen for free on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.