Bernard Hunwick, once dubbed the Hit Man of Fort Lauderdale, lived a life shrouded in allegations of contract killings and underworld ties that eventually led to federal life sentences and a grim legacy in true crime history.
BERNARD HUNWICK
Bernard “Barry the Bear” Hunwick was an infamous hit-man in the 1980’s, in Fort Lauderdale Florida.
In the federal sting, using an accomplice-turned-informant, Berand Hunwick was caught as he planned to murder an undercover FBI agent who posed as a drug dealer.
WHO WAS BERNARD HUNWICK
Tim Schiavone, owner of the World Famous Parrot Lounge, worked with Bernard Hunwick in the 1970’s. He described the handsome, 6-foot-2, bouncer / bartender as “a folklore legend in the bad-ass community,” stating that Barry was unbeatable at arm-wrestling or in a fight.
Schiavone said that he saw Bernard, on more than one occasion, methodically beat up guys to within an inch of their lives, then go about what he was doing as if nothing had happened. I’ve seen a lot of tough guys, I’ve never seen anybody as tough or as mean as Bernard Hunwick. He was good to me, but I was always a little bit scared of him, because I knew what he was capable of doing.
BERNARD HUNWICK GETS ARRESTED
Police arrested Bernard Hunwick in 1982 when Allen Chafin survived a hit and pointed out Hunwick as one of two men who tried to kill him. The arrest created an international stir when investigators said Hunwick had possibly committed more than 100 murders.
Bernard was acquitted however when an illegal search warrant revealed silencers, brass knuckles and an explosive device linked to Hunwick inside a locker.
More than 15 years later, the other hit man identified by Chafin, Reid Robert Hawley, became an informant for local and federal authorities in the murder-for-hire sting. Bernard was again arrested with a rare .22-caliber pistol with silencer designed to shoot underwater.
The evidence collected in the process turned up much more, including Hunwick implicating himself in the Messina murder.
During the 1980’s, Bernard Hunwick developed a flamboyant reputation, driving around in a Jaguar and marrying a former Playboy bunny.
Despite his violent criminal reputation, his last wife said that wasn’t the Barry she knew. Her Barry was always very nice, very kind, very talented.
Well, talent or no talent. this bad ass hit man went to prison and it was while in prison that he died at the age 67.
Bernard Hunwick | The Hit Man of Fort Lauderdale
Bernard Hunwick | Hit Man of Fort Lauderdale
Allegations & Reputation
- Authorities painted ‘the bear’ as a high-living figure: good clothes, expensive car, a racing boat, a lifestyle consistent with someone with access to substantial resources. UPI+1
- He was alleged to be the leader of a violent “hit ring” or murder ring thought by some law enforcement sources to be responsible for many contract killings, possibly dozens, maybe even up to 300 murders in various parts of the U.S. UPI+2The Oklahoman+2
- The towns or states mentioned in connection with him include Florida (Fort Lauderdale), Boston, New Jersey, Indiana, and Tulsa. UPI+3The Oklahoman+3Facebook+3
Charges & Arrest
- He was arrested in June 1982. UPI+1
- One report says he was charged with murder. UPI
- Police were investigating whether he was tied to dozens or more killings. Some reports said “at least 100 contract killings” or even 300. But it’s not clear how many were ever proven. The Oklahoman+2UPI+2
Uncertainties & What’s Not Clear
- There’s ambiguity about how many killings he was definitely responsible for versus how many were alleged or rumored. Some of the numbers might have been inflation by press or law enforcement hoping to heighten publicity.
- It’s not clear what his convictions were (i.e. how many murders or attempted murders were proven in court). I haven’t found reliable sources confirming convictions for the many killings he was accused of.
- Some claims-for example that he orchestrated or committed up to 300 murders-are likely exaggerated or at least not well substantiated in public records. UPI+1
Bernard Hunwick | The Hit Man of Fort Lauderdale
Quick Snapshot of Bernard Hunwick
- Name / aka: Bernard Barton Hunwick (“Barry the Bear”)
- Base: Plantation / Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Reputation: Alleged contract killer and leader of a multi-state “hit squad” in the early 1980s
- Key dates: Major arrest June 1982; federal murder-for-hire indictment Dec 1998; two life sentences (1999); died in federal custody Jan 2, 2013. InmateAid+3UPI+3UPI+3
1982 Arrest & Early Allegations
- Arrested at his upscale Plantation home and initially charged with murder-related offenses tied to a South Florida case; police portrayed him as a well-heeled professional killer. UPI
- Contemporary reports described an investigation into a murder ring possibly linked to scores (even “hundreds”) of killings across the U.S.; these numbers were widely publicized but remain unproven. UPI
- Coverage also tied him to probes in Tulsa, Oklahoma, among other locales. The Oklahoman
- Within days of the arrest, a judge denied bond; separate briefs noted he was ordered to begin serving a probation-violation sentence (stemming from an earlier case). UPI+1
- A regional paper summarized the booking charges as attempted murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery (reporting from the same week as the arrest). newspapers.swco.ttu.edu
Court Filings (1983–84, Florida) Bernard Hunwick
- Florida appellate decisions citing State v. Hunwick (Fla. 4th DCA 1983) are frequently referenced in search-warrant/probable-cause discussions (the case is often quoted for the rule that illegally obtained statements in an affidavit can be excised if probable cause remains). vLex+2library.law.fsu.edu+2
- A related appellate matter, State v. Hunwick, 446 So.2d 214 (1984), concerns Patti Lynn Hunwick (drug-trafficking information dismissed at trial and appealed by the State). CaseMine+1
1998–1999 Federal Case & Sentences
- In December 1998, a federal grand jury indicted Hunwick on counts including using interstate commerce to commit murder-for-hire and a gun charge. The Ledger
- In 1999, he received two life sentences in federal court after a murder-for-hire sting; reporting also notes he then pleaded no contest in state court to the 1982 murder of Richard Diego Messina (Wilton Manors case). InmateAid+1
Death in Custody
- Hunwick died Jan 2, 2013, at FMC Butner (North Carolina), while serving his life terms; outlets cited the Bureau of Prisons confirmation. InmateAid
Notes on the Legend vs. the Record
- The oft-repeated claim that his ring committed “100–300” murders comes from 1982 press and police statements and remains unsubstantiated in court outcomes; decades later, mainstream retrospectives emphasized that prosecutors ultimately secured one death via plea plus the federal life sentences from the sting, not a catalog of hundreds. UPI+1
📚 Additional Resources
- inmateaid.com
- Sunshine State Mafia: A History of Florida’s Mobsters, Hit Men, and Wise Guys by Doug Kelly — covers Florida mob history which sets good background context for Hunwick’s era. Amazon
- Florida Scoundrels: Assassins, Bandits & a Bevy of the Worst by Robert J. Redd — recent compilation of notorious criminals in Florida. Won’t be exclusively about Hunwick, but likely includes figures in the same criminal ecosystem or type. Amazon+1
- Hitmen: The Mafia, Drugs, and the East Harlem Purple Gang by Scott M. Deitche — more geographically distant but relevant in terms of how hit-men networks operate, how investigations work, etc. Good parallel. Bloomsbury Publishing
📚 Further Reading / Watching
- UPI Archives (1982 coverage) – “Police suspect murder ring of 300 slayings”
- Original contemporaneous reporting on Hunwick’s 1982 arrest and the sensational claims of hundreds of contract killings.
- 👉 UPI Archive Link
- Sun Sentinel Archives – Local Florida coverage of Hunwick’s 1982 arrest, subsequent legal battles, and his later 1999 convictions.
- (Subscription or library access may be required, but their archives provide detailed South Florida reporting on the case.)
- “Mobsters” (Crime Documentary Series) – While Hunwick himself isn’t the sole focus, episodes covering contract killing in Florida during the 70s–80s often include reference to figures like him and the Fort Lauderdale underworld. Available on streaming/documentary channels.
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- State v. Messina (Florida, 1999)
- Docket number: No. 4D08-762 for the Fourth District Court of Appeal opinion in 2009. Justia Law
- It’s a case concerning Andrew Messina, related to possession of marijuana with intent to sell under § 893.13(1)(a)2., a third-degree felony. Justia Law
- This case appears unrelated to Hunwick’s alleged murders or murder-for-hire indictments. Justia Law
- State v. Hunwick (1984, Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal)
- Docket: No. 83-1442. CaseMine
- Involves Patti Lynn Hunwick in a trafficking in cannabis case, dismissed under certain procedural rules. CaseMine
