Killer Kowalski (Edward Wladyslaw Spulnik then changed to Walter Kowalski) was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. His parents were Polish immigrants Antoni Spulnik and Maria Borowska.

Killer Kowalski (Edward Wladyslaw Spulnik [changed to Walter Kowalski]) died of a heart attack at the age of 81 at a hospital in Malden, Massachusetts.