To Die For - The Secret Double Life of a Hitman– Welcome to Crook County

Episode Date: February 25, 2025

If you enjoyed To Die For we think you'll want to check out Tenderfoot TV's latest podcast, Crook County. For over 20 years, Ken Tekiela was a celebrated firefighter, husband, and father of two &mdash...;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/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey, To Die For listeners, my name is Kyle Tequila. If you enjoy the emotional and gritty storytelling in To Die For and learning about the secret double life of former Russian spy, Alia Rosa, then I think you'll enjoy my new true crime series, Crook County, from Tenderfoot TV and iHeart Podcast, the team that brought you to die for. 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.
Starting point is 00:00:32 A secret that shattered his family. Check out this trailer, and while you listen, search Crook County in your podcast app to follow the show. I've done criminal defense now for almost 37 years. 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.
Starting point is 00:01:09 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. recruited into the mob when I was 17 years old. Me Kenny, AKA The Kid. I ran whore houses, and I did hits. An enforcer for the legendary Chicago outfit. I wanted him to know I meant fucking business here.
Starting point is 00:01:33 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 of his mafia involvement. Dad was a fucking crazy bastard.
Starting point is 00:01:53 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 could 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?
Starting point is 00:02:11 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.
Starting point is 00:02:31 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 frickin' crazy man. Ken is this great guy and he's a legend and dad was Heroin addicts. 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 I heart radio app Apple podcasts Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

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