Editor’s note: This is the fifth part of an ongoing series of stories based on a seven-month WorldNetDaily investigation into the events surrounding the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson. The investigation includes exclusive interviews, conducted in person and by telephone, with key witness Bill Wasz, now serving time in a high-security prison for other crimes.
The “hitman” hired to kill Nicole Brown Simpson knew that he was being set up as a patsy, so he decided to “burn” the man who hired him, make some fast money, and leave the state.
Bill Wasz knew police were watching him because of his drug
dealing, so he had already stopped his usual drug sales to avoid
arrest when, he says, the fateful call came from Robert Kardashian. First he says he had to supply cocaine to O.J. Simpson and Nicole, then he was asked to do much more.
Kardashian, he says, paid him to follow Nicole for two days and to take pictures when she had a rendezvous with Marcus Allen, a professional football player. Wasz did such a good job that Kardashian invited him to his home to discuss a bigger assignment.
Wasz needed money, and he knew Kardashian could provide that. He went to the meeting and learned that this assignment wasn’t anything like his previous work for the man he called “Skunk Man,” because of his gray streak of hair, and an arrogant attitude that Wasz despised.
After a lengthy discussion of Kardashian’s organized crime involvement, and the reasons he needed to eliminate Nicole, Kardashian made his offer, according to Wasz. Wasz says he was asked to kill Nicole with a .25 caliber handgun, because it was a “lady’s gun.” He also wanted Wasz to use a truck that belonged to Paula Barbieri, and plant the gun in the truck after the murder.
Wasz says he could see he was being set up, but he needed money, so he figured out a way to get some money from Kardashian without actually killing Nicole. Kardashian agreed to pay him $7,500 once he stole Barbieri’s truck and the gun, according to Wasz. The remaining $7,500 would be paid when Nicole was dead.
Wasz needed money, and he believed he could get at least the $7,500 from Kardashian. He tried to figure out a way to get the remaining half of the payment, but decided against it. Kardashian didn’t know Wasz was in trouble.
“Unfortunately for him, I was already on my downward spiral in life.
The coke was taking its toll on my body and my mind. I knew that it
would not be long before I was busted,” explained Wasz.
Kardashian, he says, told him to wait for his call. He would tell him when and how to steal Barbieri’s truck. The situation had to be just right.
On Jan. 17, 1994 an earthquake hit California, and Wasz took full
advantage.
“I decided to take the opportunity of the earthquake to acquire the
.25 caliber gun from a home where I knew where it laid. I figured
all home security alarms would be disarmed for days, so why not just
pop in and get what I needed to secure my ruse with Skunk Man.”
He went into the home and easily found the gun, as well as a .357
magnum revolver. Wasz helped himself to both.
“I took nothing else from the home because the people who owned it
were people who had always done me right, so I bypassed all the
jewelry and valuables,” explained Wasz. “Besides, I’ve never really
done house burglaries because I found them to be rather rude —
going into someone’s home and such.”
His use of cocaine was out of hand, and Wasz knew he was in trouble. He checked into a detox center for a few days and came out feeling “like a million dollars, and recharged enough to take on what would turn out to be my demise,” said Wasz in one of a series of exclusive interviews with WorldNetDaily.
He called Kardashian, told him that he had the gun, and asked when
he was going to give him the word to steal Barbieri’s truck. He
said it would still be a few days.
The appointed day came on Jan. 23. Wasz says Kardashian told him the truck would be parked in the garage of the apartment building where Barbieri lived. He was to call her and be sure she was there before attempting to steal the truck. Once he had the truck it was to be left someplace where it would not be found for about two weeks.
Wasz needed the money, and agreed to all the instructions. When he
arrived at the address, he made the call and discovered Barbieri was
home. He hung up without saying anything, and headed for the garage with his bag containing “car acquisition tools.”
The garage was highly secured and Wasz couldn’t get in. When someone asked what he was doing he quickly left. Kardashian was angry that he had failed, but told him he would make arrangements to get the truck at an easier location.
The next day Kardashian called Wasz at a hotel where he was now
staying. Barbieri would be at a hairdresser in Beverly Glen at 3:30
P.M. that afternoon, and the truck would be valet parked in an open
garage. Wasz says he was reminded that the cash was waiting if he completed his assignment.
It was a day of many events for Wasz. He decided he would rob his
drug supplier before stealing the truck. It was a time when he was
using cocaine heavily, and he was feeling desperate.
He succeeded in stealing money and drugs from his Colombian drug
connection, but not without a fast exit in a hail of bullets. In the
process, he destroyed his car, and nearly lost his life.
He arrived at the parking garage on foot.
“The second I walked into that garage, I saw it,” said Wasz. “Sitting
there like some kind of trophy. I looked around the garage and
noticed that the one attendant was reading the newspaper in the
little booth that was about twenty feet away. He never even looked
my way.”
The door was unlocked and the keys were in the ignition.
“Never in my criminal life had I ever been so lucky. I just got in,
turned on the ignition, and pulled off like it was nothing,” said
Wasz.
Now that Wasz completed his task, and with one gun battle behind him that very day, he decided to let Kardashian know what he thought of him.
“I was going to burn this dude anyway,” explained Wasz, “and since he had this attitude, I’d might as well shove a gun in his face and bring some reality upon him. He’d just been living the million-dollar-life for too long and probably never had anyone take his money. So why not?
“I knew I was going down and it was a matter of time before I was
dead or busted, so I thought that I might as well get as much money
as I could and split town.”
Kardashian thought Wasz had hidden the truck after stealing it. The
last thing he expected was to see Wasz driving straight at him in a
mall parking lot.
“I can still to this day see the look on his face as he saw me drive
up in the truck,” said Wasz. “His face went red, making his white
streaked hair even more funny.”
He wanted his arrival to be dramatic, and it was. Wasz quickly
jumped out, ran up to Kardashian’s white Lexus, and pulled out his
gun when Kardashian began shouting at him.
“The next few seconds will decide whether you live or die,” shouted
Wasz. Kardashian became quiet very quickly. He slowly reached for an envelope packed with cash as Wasz held the gun against his head.
“No longer did I hear the arrogance or smart remarks. The Skunk Man was momentarily tamed,” said Wasz of the event.
Wasz had the money, and a nice truck. It had been a dramatic day,
and the drama was about to escalate.
Wasz stayed away from his usual hangouts, and started to party at
different hotels. He had money, drugs, and a feeling of victory. His
plans were quickly dashed when he discovered a woman stole his cash while he was partying.
That event brought about another exchange of gunfire when he pursued her to no avail. Next came a series of robberies and a high-speed chase by police, more gunfire, and a bullet in his leg.
When police arrested Wasz, they found the controversial notebook in
the truck. The notebook containing the information Wasz recorded as
he followed Nicole. That notebook was not regarded as significant
until later that summer when the murder took place.
Suddenly, Wasz would be remembered by police as they recalled the
notebook with Nicole’s name on the first page.
David M. Bresnahan, a contributing editor for WorldNetDaily.com, is the author of “Cover Up: The Art and Science of Political Deception,” and offers a monthly newsletter “Talk USA Investigative Reports.”
He may be reached through email and also maintains a website.
Wasz welcomes the opportunity to respond to letters from the public. He asks those who write to provide paper, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for reply. Bill Wasz #H-64450, D-2 143, P.O. Box 5002, Calipatria, CA 92233-5002.
IN THIS SERIES:
Network ‘news judgment’ depends on who benefits
Tim Graham