Memoirs of a Hitman

The True Account of Assassin William Dean Wickline Jr.

By: Elliot Christopher

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Memoirs of a Hitman dives deep into the chilling life and crimes of William Dean Wickline Jr., a man whose violent legacy left a lasting scar on Ohio’s criminal history. This investigative true crime narrative explores not just the grisly murders and criminal empire Wickline built, but also the shadowy underpinnings of his psyche, the social environments that shaped him, and the law enforcement struggles that ultimately brought him to justice.
Born in 1952 to a troubled working-class family, Wickline’s early years were marked by domestic violence and emotional neglect. From an early age, young William exhibited disturbing behaviors—animal cruelty, unprovoked aggression, and social withdrawal—that foreshadowed his future as a ruthless criminal.
School records and interviews with former teachers reveal a boy who was feared and avoided. His early juvenile offenses escalated rapidly, leading to brushes with the law that only hardened his violent tendencies. He embraced chaos, finding his niche in the underground drug trade where he earned the moniker “The Mechanic” for his cold, efficient methods of intimidation and murder..
Wickline’s ascends through the criminal underworld during the volatile 1970s and 1980s, a period when heroin and methamphetamine surged in Ohio’s streets. Through testimonies of former associates, confidential informants, and law enforcement records, Wickline’s operation was sustained by fear, silence, and ruthless enforcement. Wickline was more than a dealer; he was an enforcer, a contract killer whose reputation for brutality was enough to silence rivals.
One of the most gripping sections recounts the turning point in the investigation: the critical arrest and breakthrough after years of elusive evidence and coded loyalties. A law enforcement misstep combined with a breach in the code of silence cracked the case wide open. The book analyzes how the investigation unfolded—balancing forensic breakthroughs, informant revelations, and the painstaking piecing together of Wickline’s crimes from fragmentary clues.
Transcripts from the courtroom show a prosecutor determined to paint Wickline as a cold-blooded sociopath, while the defense tried to humanize a man shaped by a harsh childhood. The psychological evaluations presented during the trial reveal a complex picture of a man diagnosed with sociopathy, demonstrating both his capacity for manipulation and his complete lack of remorse. The emotional toll on victims’ families is laid bare through interviews and courtroom testimony, underscoring the human cost behind the headlines.
The book explores Wickline’s time in prison, providing a rare glimpse into the brutal realities of incarceration for a high-profile violent offender. Inmate interviews and prison reports depict a man both feared and respected within the prison hierarchy, navigating a violent microcosm where power dynamics mirrored those outside.
The closing phases of Wickline’s life—the appeals, the looming shadow of capital punishment, and his ultimate execution. The narrative situates these events within the broader context of Ohio’s criminal justice system and evolving attitudes toward the death penalty.
Memoirs of a Hitman draws upon an extensive trove of sources—court records, psychological assessments, interviews, and media archives—to present a comprehensive, unflinching portrait of William Dean Wickline Jr. This is not just a story of crime, but an investigation into the psychology of evil, the complexity of justice, and the human stories often lost beneath the headlines.