1 | Give Me Your F**kin Money

Summary

Crook County: Episode 1 | "Give Me Your Fkin Money"**

Introduction to "Crook County"

"Crook County," a true-crime podcast produced by Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts, delves into the hidden life of Ken Tekiela, a celebrated Chicago firefighter and devoted father who simultaneously led a double life as a hitman for the Chicago mafia. Hosted by his son, Kyle Tequila, the podcast seeks to uncover the layers of deception that allowed Ken to maintain his criminal activities undetected for over two decades, ultimately revealing the profound impact on his family.

Ken Tekiela’s Descent into the Chicago Outfit

The episode opens with an atmospheric depiction of 1970s Chicago, juxtaposing the city's vibrant, sunlit beauty with its darker underbelly. Through this contrast, listeners are introduced to the duality of Ken Tekiela's life.

Kenny the Kid's Testimony [02:11 - 06:38]

Kenny the Kid, Ken Tekiela's moniker within the mafia, provides a harrowing first-person account of his life as a hitman:

“It's about 9pm at night. I'm in an apartment complex in a neighborhood that I really don't know very well...I put it right in his forehead...I beat him. I don't know who pulled the trigger...I left the door unlocked and I left. It was the end of him. That's it. Story's over.” [02:11]

This vivid description sets the tone for the episode, highlighting the brutality and routine nature of Ken's criminal activities. Kenny emphasizes the cold, methodical approach he took in executing his hits, underscoring the darkness that dominated his existence.

Impact on the Family and Community [06:38 - 31:13]

The narrative transitions to the emotional fallout of Ken's double life. Kyle Tequila confronts the chaos wrought by his father's actions:

“It destroyed our life. It destroyed our marriage, it destroyed my kids.” [07:40]

Maria Tremarke echoes the sentiment, sharing her fears and the constant threat of revenge from both the mob and law enforcement:

“Like, I started having flashbacks about his legs being broken when he went out to check the mail... Now these fucking people can, like, find him at our address.” [07:27]

The family's struggle is palpable as they navigate the treacherous waters of Ken's criminal past resurfacing, threatening their newfound suburban stability.

Interview with Kenny the Kid [12:28 - 31:13]

Kyle Tequila sits down with Kenny the Kid, marking the first direct interview with Ken about his life in the Outfit. Kenny describes his recruitment into the mob at 17, driven by desperation after being thrown out of his home:

“I got tossed out of my house at gunpoint by my mother.” [18:47]

He recounts his early activities within the mafia, including running whorehouses and executing hits, portraying himself as a low-level enforcer who never aspired to climb the ranks:

“My goal wasn't to run whorehouses and fucking kill... I did what I had to do to have a normal life and raise a normal family.” [17:24]

Kenny reflects on the absence of glory in his life of crime, expressing a desire to forget the violent past he once embraced:

“I try to forget these stories and I've been trying to forget these stories for years and years and years.” [17:24]

The Turning Point and Double Life [29:19 - 31:13]

As Kenny elaborates on his efforts to separate his criminal life from his family, the complexity of maintaining such a facade becomes evident:

“Nobody knew anything. I didn't want anybody to know. I was. I was kind of embarrassed.” [27:44]

Kyle reveals his own shock and betrayal upon discovering his father's true identity, highlighting the emotional toll of Ken's secrecy:

“How do you keep an entire life of crime away from your friends, away from your family?... I know because I was there because Kenny is my father.” [28:15]

Kenny acknowledges the consequences of his actions on his family, expressing remorse and the ongoing struggle to escape his past:

“I love my family. I still do, you know, very much.” [27:12]

Conclusion and Reflections

The episode concludes with Kyle reflecting on the complexity of his father's character. Contrary to the archetypal hardened criminal, Kenny is portrayed as a tired, remorseful man haunted by his past:

“I just don't see what you would expect to see from someone who's had a life like this... Instead, I see a tired, sad man, genuinely hurt that this was his life.” [18:06]

Kyle expresses a deep desire to understand how his father became entangled in such dark deeds and the ongoing impact it has had on their family.

Notable Quotes

• “It destroyed our life. It destroyed our marriage, it destroyed my kids.” — Kenny the Kid [07:40]

• “Nobody knew anything. I didn't want anybody to know. I was. I was kind of embarrassed.” — Kenny the Kid [27:44]

• “I try to forget these stories and I've been trying to forget these stories for years and years and years.” — Kenny the Kid [17:24]

• “How do you keep an entire life of crime away from your friends, away from your family?... I know because I was there because Kenny is my father.” — Kyle Tequila [28:15]

Insights and Reflections

"Crook County" masterfully intertwines personal narrative with broader themes of identity, secrecy, and the insidious impact of organized crime on family dynamics. Through Kenny the Kid's candid recounting and Kyle's introspective questioning, the podcast paints a nuanced portrait of a man torn between two worlds. The episode invites listeners to contemplate the complexities of morality, the allure of power, and the devastating repercussions of living a double life.

Conclusion

Episode 1 of "Crook County," titled "Give Me Your F**kin Money," sets a compelling foundation for the series. By delving deep into Ken Tekiela's clandestine life and its aftermath on his family, the podcast promises an intricate exploration of true crime, personal trauma, and the quest for redemption. As Kyle Tequila navigates his father's dark legacy, listeners are offered a profound look into the shadows that can lie beneath a seemingly ordinary life.

Transcript

[Kyle Tequila]

Crook county is released weekly and brought to you absolutely free. But if you want to hear the whole season, right now it's available ad free on Tenderfoot Plus. For more information, check out the Show Notes. Enjoy the episode.

[Kenny the Kid]

You're listening to Crook County. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals participating in the podcast. This episode also contains subject matter including graphic depictions of violence which may not be suitable for everyone.

[Listener Discretion]

Listener discretion is advised.

[Kenny the Kid]

Chicago is Chicago is exciting.

[Kyle Tequila]

This is a 1970s era board of Tourism Advertisement for the City of Chicago.

[Kenny the Kid]

Chicago is fun.

[Kyle Tequila]

It's overflowing with sunlit cityscapes and joyful, smiling faces of young people, families and tourists, all locked in a state of perpetual 8 millimeter textured happiness and wonder of this city of broad shoulders, this great city by the lake.

[Kenny the Kid]

Look north now to that glittering shopper's paradise proudly dubbed the Magnificent Mile.

[Kyle Tequila]

It really does look like a wonderful place to live. A place with endless possibilities where anybody, no matter who you are or where you came from, can get a fair shot at the brass ring.

[Kenny the Kid]

Chicago is something you've just got to see for yourself.

[Kyle Tequila]

But only a few miles from the bright lights of Michigan Avenue is a different stretch of road, a dark corner of the Windy City you won't see in any Board of Tourism commercial. It's a place where the cops are just as crooked as the criminals, where drugs and prostitution run rampant, and where a young mafia hitman they call the Kid is parked outside of a dark, dilapidated apartment building waiting for just the right moment to make his next move.

[Kenny the Kid]

It's about 9pm at night. I'm in an apartment complex in a neighborhood that I really don't know very well. And I'm in. I'm listening to my song, the song that I always play before I do something sketchy like this. And that's Sympathy for the Devil. It just does something to me. I don't know what it does. It's just part of my routine. I sit in my car and I do what I always do. I breathe. I make myself aware. I heighten my senses. My sight, my smell, my hearing. I don't know how I do it, but I do it. As I'm listening to the music, I feel my senses start to kick in. As they kick in, the moment arises. The moment always hits me. I don't know how it hits me, but I know when I'm ready for the moment. Out of my car, walk up to the apartment complex, ring the buzzer. This asshole comes in a buzzer, announces his name, I said, this is Ken. I'm coming up for the coke. Says, fine, come on up. Buzzer hits. I walk up the stairs. I reach my right hand behind my belt, on my back. Knock on the door with my left hand. As the door opens up, I pull my arm out with my.22 and I put it right in his forehead. Back it up, I tell him. He backs it up. His eyes are as big as saucers. I want to say his name, dude, but I can't. Will you edit his name out of here? Back it up to the bathroom. He didn't move fast enough and I wanted him to know I meant business here. So I beat him. I hit him twice, right cheek, left cheek. Backed off, put the gun back up to his forehead. Backed him up into the bathroom. Got to the bathroom. Get on your knees. He wouldn't got on his knees fast enough, so I dropped it with my left foot. I got him right behind his right knee that dropped him to his knees. Pushed him down towards the toilet. Grabbed the cuffs that were in my left rear pocket and cuffed him right behind the base of the toilet. There he sat. I can't remember exactly what I said to him, but I was dead serious what I said, but I really can't remember. Anyway, I waited like I was asked to do. Knock at the door comes and three of my boys come in. Showed them to the bathroom. I backed out because it wasn't my hit, it was just my setup. It wasn't my head. Went back into the living room, sat and waited. Heard some commotion, a muffled gunshot. I know that's the end of the story. The boys walk out. Where's the dope? Ken ransacked his bedroom, found the dope. Got about 3 or 4 ounces of what was called at the time it was pink cocaine. What the hell they call it back then? Peruvian son, I don't know. Anyway, it was coke, all right. Cause that's what everybody was doing back then. Uncuffed them, brought them to the living room, started tearing up the carpet inside the living room, wrapped them up in there and left them until tomorrow. What normally happens is. Or what was already set up was not by me, but it was already set up to have a carpeting company come in the next day, put in a new carpet, take him out, put in new carpeting, lay it. And then me leave. Spent the night, waited for the carpeting people. In the morning, they arrived about 9:00. They took him out wrapped up in the carpet, brought up a whole new carpeting and Padding laid that down. I left the door unlocked and I left. It was the end of him. That's it. Story's over.

[Kyle Tequila]

Holy shit. I'm your host, Kyle Tequila. Welcome to Crook County.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, Crook County.

[Kenny the Kid]

Yeah, there's no doubt about that. It's a den of thieves.

[Kyle Tequila]

Dad was a fucking crazy bastard.

[Maria Tremarke]

We don't know who he is, really. People are dying.

[Kenny the Kid]

Is he doing this every night? What about retribution from. Could it be the mob? Could it be police? What's the worry there? I've done criminal defense now for almost 37 years. It takes one guy out there who's in his late 60s 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.

[Maria Tremarke]

Like, I started having flashbacks about his legs being broken when he went out to check the mail. And I was like, holy shit, he changed his address to ours. Now these fucking people can, like, find him at our address.

[Kenny the Kid]

I don't give a shit about Ken. He did what he did, and if he's gotta pay, he's gotta pay. It destroyed our life. It destroyed our marriage, it destroyed my kids.

[Maria Tremarke]

It really destroyed everything.

[Kenny the Kid]

That's why I think I'm getting out of this shit. I'm right fucking back in it. It's the devil. It's following me wherever the fuck I go. I can't shake this son of a bitch. He won't fucking leave me alone.

[Listener Discretion]

Stay on top of breaking crime news with Crime Alert Hourly update available now.

[Nancy Grace]

I'm Nancy Grace. Our team of reporters and experts is dedicated to bringing you the top crime headlines you need to know. Every hour on the hour, from missing people to trial updates and true crime stories, we bring you the latest real time news and analysis.

[Listener Discretion]

Whether it's the latest developments in a high profile case or urgent alerts about missing persons, Crime Alert Hourly Update delivers the news you need to know as it happens.

[Nancy Grace]

Stay informed, keep yourself and your family safe with Crime Alert Hourly Update, the only podcast delivering hourly true crime updates.

[Listener Discretion]

Subscribe now to Crime Alert Hourly Update and never miss a moment of breaking crime news. Listen to Crime Alert Hourly Update on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown]

Monster BTK concludes the plans were made.

[Holly Fry]

Search warrants were drawn in advance on that day. I remember it was radio silence when.

[Kenny the Kid]

The chief came out and said, we've caught btk. Denial was the first reaction. Now that they got him, how am I going to get my hands on them? A judge asked Dennis Raider to take him through all the killings in the courtroom live on tv. He was not expecting that. And you see him trying to maintain control.

[Unknown]

You see his voice change.

[Kenny the Kid]

He's acting like he's bored.

[Unknown]

He's exposed and known for what he is.

To Hear the final four episodes early and ad free, subscribe to iHeart True Crime. Plus the latest episodes will become available for free every Monday. Monster BTK Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to the Criminalia podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Unknown]

Each season we explore a new theme. Everything from poisoners and pirates to art thieves and snake oil products and those who made and sold them.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the stories and secrets of some of history's most compelling criminal figures, including a man who built a submarine as a getaway vehicle. Yep, that's a fact.

[Unknown]

We also look at what kinds of societal forces were at play at the time of the crime, from legal injustices to the ethics of body snatching, to see what, if anything, might look different through today's perspective.

[Holly Fry]

And be sure to tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in custom made cocktails and mocktails inspired by the stories. There's one for every story we tell.

[Unknown]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kenny the Kid]

It was big news. I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Maria Tremarke]

When a young woman is murdered, a desperate search for answers takes investigators to some unexpected places. He believed it could be part of a satanic culture.

[Kyle Tequila]

I think there were many individuals present.

[Kenny the Kid]

I don't know who pulled the trigger.

[Maria Tremarke]

A long investigation stalls until someone changes their story. I, like, saw something that happened. An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Kenny the Kid]

He just saw his body just kind of collapsing.

[Maria Tremarke]

Two decades later, a new team of lawyers says their client is innocent.

[Holly Fry]

He did not kill her.

[Maria Tremarke]

There's no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Are you capable of murder?

[Kenny the Kid]

I definitely am not.

[Maria Tremarke]

Did you kill her? Listen to the real Killer, Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kyle Tequila]

Episode one, Give me your fucking money.

[Kenny the Kid]

You're not gonna put my voice on that thing, are you? Yeah, I'm gonna tell the story, huh? All right.

[Kyle Tequila]

I'm interviewing Kenny the Kid for the first time. He's a big man in his mid-60s, with a full head of jet black hair combed and styled with only a few strands of gray, wearing a clean white T shirt and reading glasses with thick black frames. He's handsome in a run down sort of way. He kind of reminds me of a down on his luck, Clark Kent, you know, Superman, but fat.

[Kenny the Kid]

Oh, man, I'm not good at this, man.

[Kyle Tequila]

Just whenever you feel like it, just start talking. Let your brain go.

[Kenny the Kid]

But what am I? Okay.

[Kyle Tequila]

He's not used to having a microphone in his face and seems to be having a little trouble getting comfortable with me.

[Kenny the Kid]

I know I'm very confused on this, Kyle, and I'm just gonna talk, okay? I'm just gonna talk. I really don't. It's. I really kind of don't understand what's going on.

[Kyle Tequila]

It goes on like this for a while, but eventually he starts talking.

[Kenny the Kid]

This is a story. Well, story. It's not a story. It's. This is. This is my story. Basically, the experiences I've had, most of them not by choice, that just ended up like. I never thought I would end it. I'm surprised I'm sitting here. You know, technically I shouldn't be sitting here. You know, historically, people don't make it. They just simply don't make it. But I think I was low level enough and I didn't want to make it a career, you know, I didn't want. I didn't do the things that the other people did. Trying to move up in the outfit, you know, trying to get their own crews, trying to make more money. I did fly under the radar and I really didn't want to know what the hell was going on where I became a trusted member. You know, we're not going to worry about Kenny. You know, Kenny does his job, he keeps his fucking mouth shut. He doesn't steal any money. He doesn't do fucking drugs while he's working. He's not running whores on the side, our whores on the side. He does what he's supposed to do and he goes home.

[Kyle Tequila]

Kenny spent over 20 years working deep inside the legendary Chicago Mafia, also known as the south side gang or simply the Outfit, which rose to power in the 1920s during Prohibition under Johnny Torrio and Al Capone. They were powerful, ruthless and violent with tentacles spreading all the way to Florida and California. A vast criminal empire spanning nearly 100 years. Making its fortune off bootleg liquor, illegal gambling, prostitution, extortion, political corruption, labor racketeering, loan sharking and murder for hire since the days of Capone, the Outfit has been led by a who's who of powerful bosses like Frank the Enforcer, Nitty Paul the Waiter, Rika Anthony, Big Tuna Accardo and Salvatore Momo Giancano. When Kenny was there in the 70s, 80s and early 90s, the bosses were Joseph Joey Dove, Zeuba, Sam Black, Sam Carlisi and John no Nos defronzo. It was a period of great prosperity and they were stronger than ever.

[Kenny the Kid]

Cook county in the Chicago area, okay? Chicago is actually in Cook County. And we worked in the unincorporated areas because the unincorporated areas are, you know, we owned, you know, we owned the judges, we owned the fucking cops, you know, we owned them, you know, so we can work freely. All right?

[Kyle Tequila]

And what did you do?

[Kenny the Kid]

I was a low level. I ran whorehouses and I did, and I did hits, you know, I was just a low level guy. And my crew, you know, the money that we made in our crew worked its way up the ladder to the big bosses, you know, you're in the fucking trenches, man. This is low level. In the streets, in the dirt, in your face. The backbone of the outfit. That's where the money came from. It came from us, and we pushed it up, all right? We're not the captain sitting back while his troops are in the trenches fighting out hand to hand, knife to knife, all right? We are the guys in the trenches, hand to hand, knife to knife, all right? That's where we are. That's how down. That's how far down the ladder we were, all right? Fucking clipping people and running fucking whores.

[Kyle Tequila]

He takes a long pause and seems to be deep in some old memory.

[Kenny the Kid]

I just don't want to glorify this because there's nothing, there's no glory here. I mean, I try to forget these stories and I've been trying to forget these stories for years and years and years. You know, my goal wasn't to run whorehouses and fucking kill, you know, people, you know, I was doing what I had to do to have a normal life and raise a normal family, okay? That's all I was doing. I was. I didn't have education. I didn't have the opportunity for an education. I didn't go to college. I barely got out of fucking high school. You know, I just. Survival mode, that's all. Just really that simple. And I survived.

[Kyle Tequila]

Look, I don't know much about the Mafia. I mean, I guess I know as much as anybody who's seen a movie or TV show about it, but sitting here with him, listening to him talk, watching him remember these terrible things, I feel Confused. I just don't see what you would expect to see from someone who's had a life like this. You know, a hardened criminal with bodies under his belt, some kind of monster. Instead, I see a tired, sad man, genuinely hurt that this was his life. I have to know, how does someone like that get wrapped up in all this?

[Kenny the Kid]

I got recruited into the mob when I was 17 years old. And completely unbeknownst to me, it was the last thing on my mind. And my parents got divorced. You know, I'm not gonna go into the fucking woe was me. You know, I had a rough childhood. Bullshit. But I got tossed out of. My parents got divorced. I wasn't happy about it. I got tossed out of my house at gunpoint by my mother. Go figure. So, I mean, that'll give you an idea of what kind of family, you know, I grew up. God rest their souls. Okay. All right. I love my mother dearly, and I love my father dearly, who's dead. But, you know, they just did the best they could with what they had and the culture that they grew up in. Okay? So I get tossed out. 16 years old, I'm living in the back seat of my fucking 68 Camaro for about three or four months. I need money, all right? I know this fucking clown that's dealing dope, dealing fucking Mexican dirt weed. Because back then it was. I don't know, the shit they got now is insane. But it was just straight Mexican dirt weed back then. And he was. I think. I think he had placidils and Quaaludes, so. Placidils, Quaalude cash and Mexican fucking dirt weed.

[Maria Tremarke]

So.

[Kenny the Kid]

And I knew we hung out at the fucking Kmart. So, you know, I watched him for a while. I kind of figured out his pattern, you know, And I don't know why that just made sense to me to just kind of sit back, scope him for a while. So when I hit him, it would be the best time or the best situation, whatever. Anyway, came up on him and robbed his fucking ass. I had a fucking pencil and came up kind of from the side I was. Came because. Kind of walked on by them on. On an angle. I was on the left side and came close enough where I didn't seem to be, where it wasn't threatening, but close enough where I could pivot and put the pencil in his back. He had a jacket on, so I used the rubber, you know, the eraser part. And believe it or not, if you stick that thing in there hard enough, you know, just you know, have somebody do that to you when you're not expecting it. And, you know, being told that I need your cash and I need your dope and I need it right now, all right? And I got a fucking knife stuck in your back. Reach into your pockets with your left hand and hand me back that shit. So I get the dope, I get the money, push him forward, tell him not to fucking turn around, and we're on our way. He goes off in a sprint. I go off, do a round and come back to my car. Never really saw him except for two days later when I did see him, but I saw him with someone else and two other guys off in the background. So these two come up on me. I'm sitting down and I'm going, I'm thinking to myself, ah, fuck, here we go here. And I'm completely unprepared. Completely came up on me. And the bigger guy goes, the older guy goes, is that him? And the kid goes, yeah, that's him. That's the guy that robbed me uncle. He ran a fucking crew. He's a mob dude, all right? You know, we're talking syndicate here. Outfit guy, all right? So he tells me, he goes, are you looking for a job? Yeah, I'm looking for a job. I'm fucking starving here. That's how I got in the fucking outfit. That's how I got in. He was impressed.

[Listener Discretion]

Stay on top of breaking crime news with crime Alert Hourly update available now.

[Nancy Grace]

I'm Nancy Grace. Our team of reporters and experts is dedicated to bringing you the top crime headlines you need to know. Every hour on the hour. From missing people to trial updates and true crime stories, we bring you the latest real time news and analysis.

[Listener Discretion]

Whether it's the latest developments in a high profile case or urgent alerts about missing persons, Crime Alert Hourly update delivers the news you need to know as it happens.

[Nancy Grace]

Stay informed. Keep yourself and your family safe with Crime Alert Hourly Update, the only podcast delivering hourly true crime updates.

[Listener Discretion]

Subscribe now to Crime Alert Hourly Update and never miss a moment of breaking crime news. Listen to Crime Alert Hourly Update on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown]

Monster BTK concludes the plans were made.

[Holly Fry]

Search warrants were drawn in advance on that day.

[Kenny the Kid]

I remember it was radio silence when the chief came out and said, we've caught btk. Denial was the first reaction. Now that they got him, how am I going to get my hands on him? A judge asked Dennis Rader to take him through all the killings in the Courtroom live on tv. He was not expecting that. And you see him trying to maintain control.

[Unknown]

You see his voice change.

[Kenny the Kid]

He's acting like he's bored.

[Unknown]

He's exposed and known for what he is.

To Hear the final four episodes early and ad free, subscribe to iHeart True Crime. Plus the latest episodes will become available for free every Monday. Monster BTK Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Welcome to the Criminalia podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Unknown]

Each season we explore a new theme. Everything from poisoners and pirates to art thieves and snake oil products and those who made and sold them.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the stories and secrets of some of history's most compelling criminal figures, including a man who built a submarine as a getaway vehicle. Yep, that's a fact.

[Unknown]

We also look at what kinds of societal forces were at play at the time of the crime, from legal injustices to the ethics of body snatching, to see what, if anything, might look different through today's perspective.

[Holly Fry]

And be sure to tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in custom made cocktails and mocktails inspired by the stories. There's one for every story we tell.

[Unknown]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kenny the Kid]

It was big news. I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Maria Tremarke]

When a young woman is murdered, a desperate search for answers takes investigators to some unexpected places. He believed it could be part of a satanic cult.

[Kyle Tequila]

I think there were many individuals present.

[Kenny the Kid]

I don't know who pulled the trigger.

[Maria Tremarke]

A long investigation stalls until someone changes their story. I like saw whole thing that happened. An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Kenny the Kid]

You just saw his body just kind of collapsing.

[Maria Tremarke]

Two decades later, a new team of lawyers says their client is innocent.

[Holly Fry]

He did not kill her.

[Maria Tremarke]

There's no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Are you capable of murder?

[Kenny the Kid]

I definitely am not.

[Maria Tremarke]

Did you kill her? Listen to the real Killer, Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kyle Tequila]

A rough childhood, a tumultuous marriage, a mother pulling a gun on her own son, homelessness, desperation. All leading to one fateful moment. A bad decision that would define a young kid's entire life and the life of his future family.

[Kenny the Kid]

Yeah, of course I had a family. Yeah, I had a wife and I had two children, and I wanted to keep them as far away from it as possible. I wanted them to have every advantage in the world that I didn't have. So they had every opportunity to have a good life, you know, raise their own families. I wanted to be a good provider. I loved my family. I still do, you know, very much.

[Kyle Tequila]

How much did your family know about your time? The Mafia?

[Kenny the Kid]

I mean, nobody. Nobody knew anything. I didn't want anybody to know. I was. I was kind of embarrassed. My wife, you know, she was purposely bliss. You know, money was coming in and she had, you know, she was secure and she's raising her kids and, you know, she had nice suburban life, you know, so, like, all the wives of people that were involved in the outfit, there were, you know, blind by choice. Okay.

[Kyle Tequila]

How do you keep an entire life of crime away from your friends, away from your family? How does your wife not know or your kids? It seems impossible, but I know it's true. I know because I was there because Kenny is my father. And I had no idea about any of this until now. These are dark days I swim But I'm lost in the way Crook county is a true crime podcast about my father, Kenny the Kid. Tequilas rise through the ranks of one of the most notorious organized crime syndicates in the country, the Chicago outfit. We'll explore in great depth my father's life of crime and its profound and lasting impact on my family to this very day.

[Kenny the Kid]

I didn't know he was in the Mob until maybe 20 years after you guys were born. It's crazy to have someone that was.

[Kyle Tequila]

So strong in my life and to.

[Kenny the Kid]

Be fucking punching him in the face.

[Kyle Tequila]

Over drugs because he was destroying our fucking family.

[Kenny the Kid]

You could see why he could be an enforcer. I'm blind, rage, out of control, violent person. You are sitting on a bombshell and you probably didn't realize it.

[Kyle Tequila]

Crook county is a production of Iheart Podcasts and Tenderfoot TV in association with Common Enemy. All episodes are produced, written and hosted by me, Kyle Tequila. Executive producers are Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay. Original score by Makeup and Vanity Set Main title song is called Aloha by the band Starry Eyes. End credits song is called Crush, also by the band Starry Eyes. Sound mix by Cooper Skinner. Special thanks to my wife Nicole, for not leaving me after she found out about all this shit. And a big thank you to my extended family for sharing their painful memories with me, which no doubt were never meant to see the light of day, not to mention broadcast to the entire world. I hope we can all find some healing through this journey together. Thank you to Oren Rosenbaum and the excellent team at UTA for their support. And of course to my fearless attorney Wendy Bench, who is an absolute badass and a total rock star. To stay updated on all things Crook county, follow us on all socials@crookcounty podcast or leave us a voicemail by visiting crookcountypodcast.com for more podcasts like Crook county, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit Tenderfoot TV. Episode 2 is available now. Subscribe to Tenderfoot [e-mail] to binge the entire season.

[Kenny the Kid]

Top get done. All is gone. Please don't clap.

[Kyle Tequila]

Cluster Bow Nothing left. Dark blue and endless. They've won. Thank you for tuning in to Crook County. New episodes are released weekly completely free. But if you're itching for more, check out Tenderfoot on Apple podcasts or visit tenderfootplus.com to subscribe for early access to the full series plus an ad free experience.

[Unknown]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Unknown]

Each season we explore a new theme, from poisoners to art thieves.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body.

[Unknown]

Snatching, and tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story.

[Holly Fry]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Listener Discretion]

Need the latest crime news fast. Whether it's the latest developments in a high profile case or urgent alerts about missing person Crime Alert Hourly Update delivers the news you need to know as it happens.

[Nancy Grace]

I'm Nancy Grace and with our team of investigative reporters and experts, we bring you the top crime headlines you need to know every hour on the hour.

[Listener Discretion]

Listen to Crime Alert Hourly Update on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kenny the Kid]

It was big news. I mean white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big big news.

[Maria Tremarke]

A long investigation stalls until someone change changes their story. I like saw whole thing that happened. An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Holly Fry]

He did not kill her.

[Maria Tremarke]

There's no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Did you kill her? Listen to the real Killer Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown]

Monster BTK concludes a judge asked Dennis.

[Kenny the Kid]

Raider to take him through all the killings in the courtroom live on tv.

[Unknown]

He was not expecting that. He's exposed and known for what he is.

To hear the final four episodes early and ad free, subscribe to iheart True Crime plus the latest episodes will become available for free Every Monday. Monster BTK Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.