Firefighter paramedic led a secret life as a mafia hitman, son says

In 2013, Ken Techiera revealed to his son the secret that he had kept it for over 20 years.

At the time, he had been battling disabled heroin addiction for about 10 years, and had been estranged from the age of 28 for about five years. However, his firstborn, who believed things were getting worse for the Patriarch, put him in a detox facility and helped him get clean.

“He recurred several times, but his journey to recovery was positive,” Kyle Techiera told Fox News Digital. “If I felt like he had recovered… I think it would have opened some doors for him. And I think it gave him the confidence to tell me. But it was a huge shock. ?'”

A confession of the Massachusetts man's death layer rattles the family over decades: “It wasn't a strange dad joke.”

Techiera, a well-known firefighter paramedic and father of two, confessed that she lived a secret double life as a Chicago mob hitman.

Kyle now details his father's story in “The True Crime Podcast.” “Crook County” Joint production of iHeartPodcast and Tenderfoot TV.

We explore how Techiera, known as “Children,” has promoted the ranks of Chicago costumes and its lasting impact on his family. It features candid sit-in interviews with Techiera and other loved ones.

Kyle Techiera is an award-winning filmmaker and the eldest son of Ken Techiera. (Kyle Techiera)

“These are family secrets that probably have to remain buried,” Kyle admitted. “But they've become clear and it's not easy to digest.

“It took me a long time to process it before I had enough confidence to share it with others. But I had to ask myself, this is me. Are they going to fill in forever? “And will they make the most of it and perhaps learn some lessons from it?”

Ken Techiera is cooking here in the fire station kitchen. In 1982 he passed all the tests and became a firefighter paramedic. Kyle Techiera said his father asked the former capo if he could pursue his dream of working at the fire station. Capo, whose name has not been revealed, gave him a blessing. (Kyle Techiera)

Growing up, Kyle saw his father as a “local hero” who was respected in his community. Working on a 24-hour shift, it was normal for Techiera and his family. However, he always remained devoted to his most important role: his father's role.

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“Crook County” is available for streaming. (iheartPodcasts and Tenderfoot TV)

“That was his job,” Kyle said. “We thought Super Daddy grew up. He's a firefighter paramedic and their schedules are usually 24 hours, 48 ​​hours ago or somewhere in between. It's a place where he's home. I gave it a lot of time from it.”

Techiera's dedication to duty stems from tragedy. In 1979, American Airlines Flight 191 crashed near O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. A total of 273 people have died. Techiera was about 23 years old at the time.

An aerial view of an emergency vehicle was found on the morning after the plane crashed at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on May 26, 1979. (upi/bettmann archive/Getty Images)

“I saw all of these first responders, firefighters, paramedics and seeing them try to control the scene, which has influenced him,” Kyle said. “That's what let him go. 'I want to be that. I want to help people.' At that point, he was working for the mob, not helping people. ”

According to “Crook County,” Ken Tekiela has kept his mafia life as Prime Minister from his family and close friends for over 20 years. (Kyle Techiera)

But before obligation was called, Techiera explained that she had a turbulent childhood. He said he was kicked out of the house by his mother at age 16. Having struggled to find a way and living out of his car, the desperate Techiera robbed the drug dealer. The FBI describes the Mafia capo as a ranking member who leads a crew of soldiers, just like the captain of the army.

The Chicago outfit was a branch of the American mafia city. Its most notorious leader was Al Capone. (via Photo12/Universal Images group Getty Images)

Techiera was 17 years old at the time. Kyle says that Capo found his father and asked him questions. He then offered that the patriarch could not refuse.

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Photos of Ken Techiera's high school. (Kyle Techiera)

“It was the wrong place, the wrong time, the wrong decision,” Kyle explained. “But he had courage. And Capo saw it. They brought him in. He had no other place to go, so he had no choice. He wanted to impress them.”

According to Kyle, Techiera's role in dressing was to “take away people the mobster wanted from the mob.”

“People who are selfish or steal from the organization in f —– G Up,” Kyle explained.

His girlfriends at the time, Holly and Ken Techiera. They got married in 1984. (Kyle Techiera)

Kyle believes that the secret to his father's survival is not killed or thrown into prison – “he doesn't ask too many questions.” In 1982, Techiera became a firefighter paramedic and made him an asset in the costume.

“It was about doing your job, doing it well and going home. “A lot of these guys did something on the side to get the extra money. They're you They sell drugs that they shouldn't. They were running girls. They were stealing. Like the others, I think I've come a long way to him.”

Chicago costumes were active in the city from the 70s to the 80s. Seen here is a mug shot of mob boss “Joey” Horn Ippa (1907-1997) in a Chicago costume from around 1980. (Potter and Potter auction/Gad/Getty Images)

“Who knows what would have happened if he wasn't a firefighter,” Kyle recalled. “And I selfishly realized that the mob, as the first responder, he is an asset. They have people going to the crime scene. [the mob] Others can make bids.

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Ken Techiera in his 20s. By then he had worked with Chicago outfits, his son claimed. (Kyle Techiera)

Techiera's wife did not suspect that her husband had a double life. They married in 1984, and Kyle was born a year later.

“Ignorance was bliss for my mother,” Kyle said. “She believed in everything he told her. She hadn't digged. She wasn't suspicious. And if she wasn't suspicious, the kids weren't suspicious.

“He was able to move that whole world away from our little house. He stayed outside of a suburban town. It was just a middle class town. And he was a firefighter. For his career, he paid tribute to the community, and he did that time away from home and do whatever he needed to get his clothes.”

Ken Techiera is on fire. In 1999 he suffered a work-related injury, resulting in his dependence on heroin. (Kyle Techiera)

Things changed when Kyle was in high school. When he was about 16 years old, his parents began fighting frequently. He realized that his father's inflamed veins were “severe” and he acted “unstable.”

“When I was 14, he got involved in an accident,” Kyle said. “He had a ladder for the firefighters who were up in the attic of a tall ceiling warehouse during the fire.

“The ladder and firefighters fell on my father… It almost killed him. He had a lot of surgeries and the doctor had prescribed opiates. [heroin]. In his words, “I liked those painkillers, but after a while it wasn't enough.” He became addicted, and it just fell out of his control. ”

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his wife, Holly and Ken Techiera. Kyle Techiera was 17 when she first suspected her father was on drugs. (Kyle Techiera)

The podcast details Techiera ultimately lost his job, and “everything fell apart pretty quickly” with the mob.

During Techiera's recovery at a detox facility, she was eager to rebuild her relationship with her son.

Watch: Sammy the Bull Gravano: The Mafia is like a Boy Scout compared to politicians

“I think he felt relieved and embraced his reality, his history,” Kyle said. “He hasn't lived a very good life in the last 10 or 15 years. …It's been tough. …I'll pay his rent. I just bought him a car. He's like a child. And I think everyone knows, my dad spent a great time and destroyed the whole family.

Kyle Techiera said he last saw his father in 2023. (Kyle Techiera)

“Even though the context is horrifying, it's still his story, and his story has meaning,” Kyle reflects. “For him, I would say, “I would become a drug dealer or a drug addict who ruined my family, who finally did I, how I got there, how I tried to get out.” I think I thought I was going to tell people, but I couldn't, and how did it fall apart?”

“Even after he told me all these things, and after all the pain and struggles that he had experienced his addiction, I still love him,” Kyle continued. “And now that he finally told me everything, I respect him more. …I know there's a reason why he kept a secret. He took drugs There's a reason why I did it. For some reason, I'll deal with the pain.”

Kyle himself is the husband and father of a 10-year-old son, and said talking to Techiera for a podcast was a “healing experience.” Today, Kyle and Ken talk “occasionally” on the phone. Kyle said he assumes his father is “still being used in some capacity.”

Kyle Techiera sometimes talks to her father over the phone. (Kyle Techiera)

“I can see real regret in him,” Kyle said. “When he tells these stories – these terrible things he had to do – there's real regret. He's embarrassed about it all.”

Today, Techiera has “zero fear” to speak out. Kyle feels the same way.

The former mob boss finds a god in prison and leaves the “wicked lifestyle”: “My faith is solid.”

Ken Techiera tells his story in “Crook County.” (Kyle Techiera)

“This isn't just another story about the mob,” Kyle said. “It's a journey of discovery between a father and son… There's a lot of growth. And many people don't want to talk about their feelings. They're weak to talk about your feelings. I feel it or seeing my dad treat me like a therapist essentially, I could see him gain weight.”

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“I think it's very important for families to talk about difficult truths,” Kyle said. “As soon as you start keeping a secret, it's when it all falls apart.”