Panic: Queer True Crime

When I started telling these stories, I understood the organized efforts to shame homosexuality out of existence. What I didn't expect was the level of criminality that would grow out of the demonizing of LGBTQ+ people. In the 1960s, Chicago police officer John J. Pyne began to organize a group of criminals and con men in an extortion ring that would go on to scam more than 1,000 men out of a million dollars across the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The FBI called the Chicken and the Bull extortion scheme the largest scheme of its kind up to that time. It is, in fact, the largest organized extortion of gay men ever. It is also another example of the depths and cold brutality of homophobia unchecked. Here's the link to the fantastic article William McGown wrote for Slate. The article has become one of the few references to this scandal. To watch this episode:  https://youtu.be/qSvPhDqNXKU   William McGowan's 2012 article in Slate: https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/07/the-chickens-and-the-bulls-the-rise-and-incredible-fall-of-a-vicious-extortion-ring-that-preyed-on-prominent-gay-men-in-the-1960s.html  

In my ongoing exploration of the history of homophobia in life and the law, I've been researching the trends, and I do mean trends, of attacks fueled by the targeting of mostly gay men. From the late 1950s through the 1970s in the United States, "Rolling a Queer" became such an epidemic that both Democrats and Republicans came together to introduce legislation that would create some minor protections for gays and lesbians. It failed, of course, and the attacks continued at pace.  This crime wave helps to explain why the "Homosexual Panic Defense" began to be used in the 1960s in courtrooms across the country. A young man defending himself from the advances of a predatory homosexual is much more defendable than a defendant targeting gay men for fun and profit.  I have many more of these stories from the 1950s through the 1970s to share. Please subscribe. In this week's episode:  Sam Nordquist left home to visit his online girlfriend. When his mother and other family members couldn't get ahold of him, they begged authorities to help him, but sadly, help came too late.  In September 2024, Zsolt Zsolyomi disabled his leg monitor and disappeared onto the north Florida Island of Miami Beach and Little Havana using an alias to court, rob, batter, and then murder two older men with disabilities. Would the police stop him before he could kill again? In 1973, the Long Beach murder of a World War II veteran and beloved school teacher, Hollis Voas, exposed the escalating cycle of rolling a queer that spiked during the 1960s and 1970s in the U.S. Law enforcement quickly tracked down the suspects Don James Myers and Kenneth Evans, after discovering the victim tied to his blood-soaked bedroom. Thirty-nine pieces of evidence, a stolen Cadillac, and a childhood friend would lead police to the perpetrators a few hours after the murder. I saw this 1973 news item so quietly tucked away in a newspaper that I knew I had to share his story. Thanks to one of Mr. Voas' relatives for sharing a picture of him for the YouTube coverage. The 1953 murder of bartender Walter Thalen by a drifter who wandered into the bar where Thalen worked at the end of a night of drinking would have a devasting impact far and wide.  In March of 2025, Buffalo, New York, Allentown was rocked by the double murder of two beloved men. Mickey Harmon and Jordan Celotto contributed to their community in art and activism, and they were snatched away senselessly and violently.  49, California Fire Captain Rebecca Marodi and 53, Yolanda Olejniczak-Marodi, began dating in 2018, marrying in 2022. By February 2025, Marodi was ready to end what friends called a controlling and isolating marriage, but she would never get the chance. This wasn't the first time Yolanda Olejniczak-Marodi was involved in a murder. Reports of intimate partner violence among lesbians are the most underreported. If you or anyone you know needs help, use the resources below. Finally, an update on cases we've covered on the channel and a cold case.  I hope you stay with me as I continue to share more of these hidden stories of lives lived and snuffed out. They deserve our loving attention.  If you'd like to watch any of these episodes, you watch them all at: https://www.youtube.com/@panicqueertruecrime   DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE  National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger, call 9-1-1 immediately. Thanks to Mystic Magazine for the global resource guide, one of the first to be compiled. https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/domestic-violence-resource-guide/ Please subscribe to the podcast and YouTube Channel. 

Recently, I began to research the trends of attacks fueled by "Homosexual Panic." What I've learned has changed my understanding of the use of the history of the homosexual panic defense, but I'll get back to that later.    I will just say that in the late 1950s through the 1970s in the United States "Rolling a Queer" became such an epidemic that both Democrats and Republicans came together to introduce legislation that would create some minor protections for queer folks. It failed of course and so the attacks rolled on.    In this week's episode:   Sam Nordquist left home to visit his online girlfriend. When his mother and other family members couldn't get ahold of him, they begged authorities to help him, but sadly, help came too late.    In September 2024, Zsolt Zsolyomi disabled his leg monitor and disappeared onto the north Florida Island of Miami Beach and Little Havana using an alias to court, rob, batter, and then murder two older men with disabilities. Would the police stop him before he could kill again?   The 1953 murder of bartender Walter Thalen by a drifter who wandered into the bar where Thalen worked the aftermath of a night of drinking would have a devasting impact far and wide.    In March of 2025, Buffalo's Allentown was rocked by the double murder of two beloved men. Mickey Harmon and Jordan Celotto contributed to their community in art and activism, and they were snatched away senselessly and violently.    I saw this news item about the 1973 murder of a high school teacher who had served in the Air Force in World War Two so quietly tucked away that I knew I had to share his story.    I hope you stay with me as I continue to share more of these hidden stories of lives lived and snuffed out. They deserve our loving attention.   If you'd like to watch any of these episodes, you watch them all at:    Please subscribe to the podcast. 

In this episode, five cases of homophobic rage, mental illness, alcohol abuse, and murder.  Dream City Fire: One of the worst fires in modern London that you've probably never heard of. A combination of alcohol and anger sparked a series of events that ended in the death of 11 men in an unlicensed and uninspected second and third-floor cinema. Ashia Davis: On June 01, 2023, Carlos Scotland and Ashia Davis met at the Woodward Inn in Highland Park, Michigan. By the end of the evening, Ashia Davis would be dead, and the search for her killer would lead to a young killer whose motives remain unclear. Jake Kelly: On August 27, 2023, 49-year-old Jake Kelly was brutally beaten in his Phoenix, Arizona home. Instead of calling for medical assistance, his roommates, Shannon Higgins (37) and Corey Young (44), moved him into a bathtub, delaying any hope of help. This tragic case raises questions about justice, accountability, and the events leading to Jake's untimely death. Gerald Declan Radford: An update to the 2024 Florida case of the murder of John Walter Lay. After a six-day trial and a quick verdict 66, Gerald Declan Radford, under the banner of the stand-your-ground law, left John Walter Lay's family in pieces. Kevin Baker: On March 8, 1977, having left his New Jersey home looking for adventure, 18-year-old Kevin Baker would find himself in a Las Cruces, New Mexico courtroom accused of murdering 47 Charles Thompson, a South Dakota truck driver on his way to a new life. Baker's trial would be filled with questions of sanity and, of course, homosexual panic.   

In the television show The Sopranos, the character of "Big P*ssy" was based on a New York or New Jersey mobster targeted because of his sexual antics, but in Italy, there was a similar situation involving a highly respected hitman who stepped out of line by loving and wanting to make a life with the man he loved.  Anthony “Bubbles” Torres was a character, a creation. He tended to amuse and sometimes irritate people. On the night he was killed, witnesses saw the beginnings of a confrontation and Torres's murder. Years later, police struggle to solve the case.  In my research into the history of indecent proposals and indecent advances and the role of the homosexual panic used in court to explain murder, I've learned something new. In the later 1960s and all of the 1970s, there was a rash of robberies targeting gay men. It became so excessive that both Democratic and Republican politicians sought to cool the temperature when it came to some of the laws and rhetoric around homosexuality. Those efforts were shot down, of course, but the awareness on the part of defense lawyers that their clients might just be seen as a thief attempting to exploit a gay man made the homosexual panic defense even more urgently needed.  The cases based on people meeting up on apps are an ever-evolving story. Is it any more dangerous than meeting someone at a bar at 3 am? When imagining an open relationship, neither Scott nor his husband couldn't possibly imagine how it would end.    Filippo Gangitano - Gay in the mob Anthony “Bubbles” Torres -Murdered on a San Francisco street Harold St. John - AWOL, Kidnapping, and Homosexual panic Bobby Scott - Murdered on a Date    

While researching a story for the next episode I found a 1960 article examinign the growth of homophobic attacks on mostly gey men for financial gain. Rolling a Queer crimes grow to such a degree that lawmakers across the country sought to minimize legal prohibitons agaisnt LGBTQ folks as a partial remedy. Most of these efforts failed contributing to the mid-sixties appearance of homosexual panic as a legal defense.    The fisrt two stories in this episode involve murders that resulted from attempts to rob a gay man.   Charles James Mourey Chelie Todd Steve Marose story is one of murder but of the lingering effects of the governments pink scare that started in the 1950s when President Eisenhower signed on over ridding the governnment and the military of lesbians and gay men. Marose was thrown out of the military in the 1990s after spending eight months in a military priison for the crime of being gay. Fulfilling a promise, President Biden issued a pardon for many of these men and women but the process is anything but easy and Marose remains without his pension and without having his name cleared.  If you know anyone in the same position pass along these links that might set them on the path to having their rights restored.   The Murder of Patricia Malone Patricia Malone was a lesbian women working the London streets as a sex worker when she met and was killed by a police officier. The officier came in for a beating in the press but so did Ms. Malone whom they dobbed, "Pasty Butch Malone." Her treatment in the press and the twist to the story give you a glimpse into the times in which her murder took place. The Murders of Page Cegelski and Paula O'Connor The two women were discovered in a Green Bay, Wisconsin duplex. The killer would confess to the murders with an evolving story. Peter Sotka's long history of intimate partner violence and his contradictory statements make his confession suspect. There is no record of either woman's state of undress and there is no evidence from family and friends that the women who were best friends were having an intimate relationship. Using a version of gay panic as the setting for a double murder is worth noting.    Resources:   Resources chrome- APPLICATION-FOR-PARDON   Legal Services and Information https://ptsdlawyers.com/lgbtq-military-pardon-va-benefits/      

Molotov Cocktail of Hate Pamela Cobbas, Mercedes Roxana Figueroa, Andrea Amarante, Sofía Castro Riglos   Intimate Partner Violence The Murder of Chen Chen Fei The Murder of Quanesha Shantel   The Murder of William Nicholas Abraham   Disappearance The Murder of Levi Davis?   Ex Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries Charged: Human Trafficking and Assault   The Shocking Murder Of Eduardo Xol   Ex-Partners, a Mysterious Friend, and Two Bodies Found in Suitcases on Bristol's Clifton Bridge   Kasim Omar: Escaped to America Seeking Safety, Only to Face a Horrific Tragedy   The Murder of Paul Taylor   The Murder of Howard Bresendine   Mental Health Resources  SAMHSA's National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline   LGBTQ & Gay-Friendly Rehabs: Statistics, Risk Factors & Treatment (888) 402-1504   https://www.addicted.org/   DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately.   Thanks to MysticMag for the global resource guide. One of the first to be compiled.  https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/domestic-violence-resource-guide/    

In 1960, Smith College's Professor Newton Arvin and two of his colleagues were swept up in a scandal concocted in large part as a way of shaming being queer out of existence.  Efforts to control the flow of what is erotica or smut is an ongoing crusade in the United States and in many places in the world. When those crusades are weaponized against targeted groups of people they can be lethal.  Some of you listening to this episode might think a professor at a private college is a fairly privileged person, and you're not wrong, but his homosexuality stripped away much of that privilege.  The other reason I'm sharing this story is that Newton Arvin and his two colleagues are stand-ins for the hundreds, perhaps thousands of mostly gay men who were arrested, jailed, and had their lives ruined for the offense of being gay.  The potential loss of one's freedom and profession is both unbelievable from today's vantage point and entirely possible to imagine happening again.  Please subscribe the the podcast. Thanks

This collection of cases includes the murder of three trans women of color, the most at-risk group in the LGBTQ+ community. Two cases of intimate partner violence, please see this description for help.  The murder of a 19-year-old murder in prison because he was gay and black. A gay man was murdered in his home by a jealous boyfriend and the victim's friend, and two gay men were murdered by a group of friends led by a homophobic leader.    Intimate Partner Help: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger, call 9-1-1 immediately.  Thanks to MysticMag for the global resource guide.  One of the first to be compiled. https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/domestic-violence-resource-guide/ Episode Description Benjamin Renwick  Dylan Gurley Micah Laureano Leo Nunes Tzatzi Sanchez Savannah Williams Starr Brown Tommy Lee Trimble and John Lloyd Griffin Vanity Williams  

Peter Coshan Lisa Stone Curtis Marsh Gaurav Gopalan Matthew Mickens-Murrey Ukea Davis and Stephanie Thomas Vanity Williams     Several of the cases in this episode involve unsolved cases. In the next episode, I will delve into the reasons why this might be the case.  Two of these cases involve the murder of black trans women, the highest rate of murder in the LGBTQ+ community.  The last two cases happened at the same time in the same city          To watch any of these stories you can find them on the Queer True Crime YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw For Help National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately. The International Domestic Violence Resource Guide (2024) is the largest resource worldwide.  https://www.cvpsd.org/post/domestic-violence-resources-in-the-north-america If you suspect elder abuse, call 1-833-401-0832 and enter your 5-digit zip code to be connected to the Adult Protective Services in your county, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.  Please subscribe to the channel.       

Anna Flores Pauly Likens Alex Rodda Liara Tsai Bruce Becker Curtis Marsh Kevin Clewer Charles Gibson  Brad Nelson Winters   Here is a collection of murders some of them due to intimate partner violence and some hate crimes. The thing they have in common is the loss and heartache of family and friends.  While might surprise some that young men, mostly, still struggling with their sexual identity resort to murder when threatened, ongoing scholarship suggests that the causes might be complicated, a mixture of internalized homophobia and other pathologies that fuel murder.  Intimate partner violence in the queer community remains underreported. Please use the resources below if you or someone you know needs help.  Finally, the murder of Kevin Clewer remains unsolved though it seems authorities have a suspect. The murders of Clewer, Charles Gibson, and Brad Winters were thought to be part of a serial killer's ramp-up thank goodness they were not.  Murders of queer people continue to be under-reported so I thank you for your loving attention to these cases. To watch any of these stories you can find them on the Queer True Crime YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw For Help National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately. The International Domestic Violence Resource Guide (2024) is the largest resource worldwide.  https://www.cvpsd.org/post/domestic-violence-resources-in-the-north-america If you suspect elder abuse, call 1-833-401-0832 and enter your 5-digit zip code to be connected to the Adult Protective Services in your county, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.  Please subscribe to the channel.   

In 1998, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia became the location of two of the most violent murders Australia has ever seen.    In 1998, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia became the location of two of the most violent murders Australia has ever seen.    19-year-old, Mark Valera's pent-up rage led him down the path of murder, leaving destruction in his wake and sparking an equal fury that ultimately led to the killing of his own father.   The murders committed by Mark "Valera" van Krevel further revealed a disturbing wave of child molestation in New South Wales, implicating some of the community's most respected figures including one of Valera's victims.   At the time, Australia, like many places worldwide, was experiencing a surge of violence against the LGBTQ+ community, involving the police on some occasions.    Equally damaging is the capricious conflation of pedophiles, hebephiles, and homosexuals. Wollongong's former Mayor Frank Arkell, who was not gay, was shortly before his murder with 29 charges of child molestation.   Valera's vigilantism removed the possibility of justice for the 29 victims and possible vindication of the alleged victims from a previous case.     Valera's first victim, David O'Hearn, was a quiet man beloved by his family and friends. The extreme violence surrounding these events has unfortunately overshadowed O'Hearn's life and death. This retelling serves to honor his memory.    

Six stories of possible greed, intimate partner violence, murderous internalized homophobia, and your garden variety homophobia.  Toslimy Bang and Terence Brown Blaze Bernstein Kelly Moriarty and Doris “Pat” Carter Michael Causer John Paul Kelso John Walter Lay John Edwards To watch any of these stories you can find them on the Queer True Crime YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw Or click on any of the titles.  For Help National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately. The International Domestic Violence Resource Guide (2024) is the largest resource worldwide.  https://www.cvpsd.org/post/domestic-violence-resources-in-the-north-america

In this episode four stories of murder, homophobia, and mental health in crisis.  Isaac Herrera Jordan Taylor Terrance Brown Reginald Folks To watch any of these stories you can find them on the Queer True Crime YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw For Help National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately. The International Domestic Violence Resource Guide (2024) is the largest resource worldwide.  https://www.cvpsd.org/post/domestic-violence-resources-in-the-north-america

Happy Pride and welcome to season four of Panic. This is the second season of Panic and the fourth for the podcast as a whole.  In the second season, I want to continue to explore the themes of the podcast and YouTube channel, and how homophobia in all of its permutations plays itself out in the lives of queer folks and the people who love them. I'll continue to explore intimate partner violence while providing resources for help and healing.  I want to explore more stories of murdered trans people. I only learned when I started to cover some of these cases that many states across the United States have no formal process for addressing gender identity often referring to a murder victim by their dead name which is then disseminated to the media and family. How do those inequalities affect an investigation? Thanks and hugs to those of you who continue to listen and those of you who are new.  Happy Pride. Panic    

Gary Gleeson Alex Rodda Raymond Kindred John McGrail Leonard Riendeau Charles Kimball John Fuoroli Brandi Mells, Shanta Myers, Jeremiah, and Shaniese Myers  To watch any of these stories you can find them on the Queer True Crime YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw For Help National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately. The International Domestic Violence Resource Guide (2024) is the largest resource worldwide.  https://www.cvpsd.org/post/domestic-violence-resources-in-the-north-america   If you suspect elder abuse, call 1-833-401-0832 and enter your 5-digit zip code to be connected to the Adult Protective Services in your county, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.  Please subscribe to the channel. 

 George Webber In this episode, A closeted man's search to fulfill his fetish leads him to hire a 16-year-old from a Craigslist ad. Charlie Howard Two gay men are attacked by a group of teens ending in murder.  Carlos Collins A former police officer's inability to let go ends in murder. James Sheehan Suffering from stage 4 cancer, an elderly man leans on a friend whose only interest is his money. Darrin Thorpe His death has been called a drug overdose but his husband suspects it might be a murder.  Carzella Little A late-night argument between girlfriends ends in murder.    To watch any of these stories you can find them on the Queer True Crime YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw   For Help National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org    If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately.   The International Domestic Violence Resource Guide (2024) is the largest resource worldwide.  https://www.cvpsd.org/post/domestic-violence-resources-in-the-north-america If you suspect elder abuse, call 1-833-401-0832 and when prompted enter your 5-digit zip code to be connected to the Adult Protective Services in your county, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.  Please subscribe to the channel.   

On September 7, 1982, the Gainesville, Florida Labor Day Weekend was disrupted when University of Florida's Professor Howard Appledorf's neighbors spotted his condo had been broken into.   Inside police found a highly staged scene and the professor asphyxiated on his sofa, as the three young suspects fled they left behind a frenzy of fears about cults and witchcraft.  The tale that would unravel would be far sadder, exposing the life of a victim lived in the closet and three young perpetrators abandoned to the streets where they became both prey and predator.  If you'd like to watch this episode you can find it on the Panic YouTube Channel.  https://youtu.be/8GMO1WoZnyo  

Podcast Notes: Akira Ross Allan Lanteigne/Demitry Papasotiriou  Summit Kumar Raymond Scotter   Shawndell McCloud   Dr. Louis Chen/Eric Cooper/Cooper Chen Warning this case involves the death of a child. Starts at 3:20. To watch any of these episodes you can find them at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw This episode has a case of homophobic murder by a stranger, the murderous obsession of a former lover, the corruption and greed of love gone wrong, a son killing a father to save the honor of the family, and more, a robbery and a murder, and a doctor and family annihilator.  For lots of historical and personal reasons intimate partner violence continues to be under-reported in the queer community but resources are available.  First are resources for the United States.  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE   National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE (7233)   Online live chat: thehotline.org    If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately.   The International Domestic Violence Resource Guide (2024) is the largest resource from around the world.    https://www.cvpsd.org/post/domestic-violence-resources-in-the-north-america

Here are seven cases of stalking, and homophobia in the United States and Sweden, a case of a stepfather's homophobic rage, and an unresolved case of a body in a fish tank. These shorts are taken from the Panic YouTube channel. If you'd like to see any of these shorts please join me at the Panic channel using the link below.  Brittany Cosby and Crystal Jackson Brain Eggs Josef ben Meddour Marcus Volk Lawrence Wong and Thomas Whitney Zachary Kennedy Steen Fenrich To watch these episodes:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw Please subscribe and like.  Thanks!

Robert Bennett Jr. was a smart guy from a wealthy family he was also a violent sadist who liked to inflict pain on unwitting strangers.  Though this is not a murder case it illustrates what happens when you mix a homophobic cultural attitude filtered down to law enforcement mixes with the influence of a predator from a wealthy family who'd go to any length to protect their son.     

Note: I've only just realized that the audio for the previous upload of this episode was icky and is only a few minutes long. Here is the episode in its entirety.    I have also wanted to delve into the lives of Jeffrey Trail and David Madson and Andrew Cunanan's relationship with them both. In part, because as tragic as Gianni Versace's murder was, not to mention the murders of Lee Miglin and poor Andrew Reese who was just doing his job, Trail and Madson's murders seem particularly devasting.  Friends and lovers, secrets and lies.  People who knew them said Cunanan loved and admired Trail and Madson, and they at some stage loved him, yet he killed them both as some sort of retribution for his life falling apart.  I hope you'l listen and share this episode because these two men are worthy of your consideration. Having spent time reading about them I feel even more affection for them and for their loved ones who were lucky to have these extraordinary young men in their lives.  Here are a few links to the 48-hour interview with Jeffrey Trail and a link to some of the letters and pictures Cunanan wrote to Madson. To watch this episode: https://youtu.be/zFhfVTudwQg 48 Hours Richard Schlesinger's connection with a Cunanan victim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elzxfa2cwdg Pictures and Letters https://www.tumblr.com/andrew-cunanan-true-crime-blog

Peeble LaDime Doe Wendy Thorpe Gordon Church Luke Davies and Jesse Baird Ranjith Kankanamalage Zach Kennedy August Provost   Seven cases of intimate partner violence and hate crime murders. The case of Peeble LaDime Doe, a transgender woman who was murdered by her former lover. This is the first case in the nation to use federal protections to prosecute a hate crime based on gender identity even though South Carolina remains one of the two states with no hate crime protections for queer people.   DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org If you or someone you know is in danger call 9-1-1 immediately.   I you'd like to watch any of these episodes you can find them on the Panic: Queer True Crime YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@panicqueertruecrime   Before you go subscribe here and while you're there subscribe there. Hugs!    Finally, Panic has been voted one of the best gay true crime podcasts to listen to by the folks at Feedspot. Thanks to you all for making it happen. https://crime.feedspot.com/queer_true_crime_podcasts/    

  This week a mixture of intimate partner violence, madness, and homophobia.  If you'd like to watch any of these stories join me at the Panic Queer True Crime Channel on YouTube.    Jake Marandino Harley Walker Annie Meyer Brian Campbell Jun Lin Crystal Parker Naasire Johnson Filippo Gangitano Sylvia Lugo Howard Efland   If you or anyone you know is the victim of violence please use the link above.   In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.   You deserve to live a life free of violence of any kind. 

Eight stories of intimate partner abuse, theft, murder, and a historical case that has never been solved.  To watch any of these stories you can find them at: https://www.youtube.com/@panicqueertruecrime   Gary Ruby Ronald Shumway Heather  Diebert Dr. Gary Jenkins Timothy Smith The Slasher  Brian Williamson Casey Taylor   If you or anyone you know is the victim of violence please use the link above.   In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.   You deserve to live a life free of violence of any kind. 

The story of Jimmy Zappalorti's life and death is the story of the times in which he lived. The love of a family, and community, and the search for self-acceptance and a small amount of joy. Jimmy Zappalorti died twice. Once while stationed in Danang, Vietnam, and some twenty years later on Staten Island where he grew up when two hate-filled young men decided to take his life. It has been an honor to tell Jimmy's story and to get to know his story. I think you might have as much affection for him as I do. Please join me and share the story of the life and times of Jimmy Zappalorti. To watch this story: https://youtu.be/nBHzEYjqoAY    

Eight stories of love, friendship, homophobic hate, and murder.    Annamarie Rintila Brian Bergeron Daniel Clancy Harry Major Jorge Diaz Johnston Steven Nelson Allen Leroy Anderson Devon Hoover

In this episode stories of queer folks targeted and murdered for the crime of being gay.  If you'd like to watch any of these episodes join me at the Panic: Queer True Crime Channel https://www.youtube.com/@panicqueertruecrime Bernardo Pantaleon Benjamin Anderson A'Nee Robertson   Gerry Edwards and Chris Bevan   David Morley   David Iwo   Jimmie ‘Jay' Lee   Lauren "Lela" Leslie   Sakai Gunn   Yousef Palani   Steven Lorenzo   Devan Hoover   Jesús Ociel Baena and Dorian Daniel Herrera    

This is the last of the thirty cases Australian investigators reopened to explore whether or not the victims were the victims of gay hate crimes.  You can find the other cases here or on the Panic YouTube channels.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw I have listed the cases that have the least amount of evidence pointing to a hate crime. Out of respect for the victims, I am posting their names here.    Anthony Cawsey Kenneth Brennan Peter Bauman Richard Slater William Dutfield The Greek Consul Less Compelling evidence of a hate crime murder. This is among eight of the original 30 unsolved cases that former police gay liaison coordinator Sue Thompson and criminologist Stephen Tomsen have set aside as less compelling. With the help of gay community leaders, they conducted a “conservative” review of their 30 cases last year and cut the list to the 22 deaths they believe deserve the most police attention. John Gordon Hughes Samantha Raye Scott Miller Ali Mokdad Graham Paynter If you have information on any of these cases. Contact: CRIMESTOPPERS 1800 333 000  WWW.CRIMESTOPPERS.COM.AU        

This episode continues to collect and share the unsolved, and a few solved murders of gay men who were bashed along the cliffs and beaches of Bondi Beach in Australia between the 1970s and 1990s.  Investigators have begun a serious effort to solve as many of these cases as possible. Part of their dedication is an acknowledgment of the neglect on the part of the police and the large society when it came to violence against the LGBTQ+ community. Sometimes this violence was led by the police themselves.  As the police continue to try and solve these cases I wanted to share their stories here and on the Youtube channel.  If you want to watch any of these shorts you can find them all on the Panic: Queer True Crime channel.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw   Cyril Olsen Kritchikorn Rattanajuathaporn William Allen  Raymond Keam    

Here is a group of shorts from the Panic Queer True Crime channel. If you'd like to watch any of these episodes join me at the Youtube Panic channel. Australian Gay Bashing Murders Gilles Mattaini John Hughes Stephen Dempsey William Rooney Intimate Partner Violence Anthony Morley Matthew Leveson   The link to watch any of these episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw   You can find the episode Bashed here in the Panic podcasts.

I have also wanted to delve into the lives of Jeffrey Trail and David Madson and Andrew Cunanan's relationship with them both. In part, because as tragic as Gianni Versace's murder was, not to mention the murders of Lee Miglin and poor Andrew Reese who was just doing his job, Trail and Madson's murders seem particularly devasting.  Friends and lovers, secrets and lies.  People who knew them said Cunanan loved and admired Trail and Madson, and they at some stage loved him, yet he killed them both as some sort of retribution for his life falling apart.  I hope you will listen and share this episode because these two men are worthy of your consideration. Having spent time reading about them I feel even more affection for them and for their loved ones who were lucky to have these extraordinary young men in their lives.  Here are a few links to the 48-hour interview with Jeffrey Trail and a link to some of the letters and pictures Cunanan wrote to Madson. 48 Hours Richard Schlesinger's connection with a Cunanan victim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elzxfa2cwdg Pictures and Letters https://www.tumblr.com/andrew-cunanan-true-crime-blog

Here is a group of shorts from the Panic Queer True Crime channel. If you'd like to watch any of these episodes join me at the Youtube Panic channel. Mohammed Altaher  Steven Cozzi Crispin Dye AC/DC's Former Manager Heuermann, Gilgo Beach Serial Killer (The only male victim Jody Dobrowski Steven Ireland Intimate partner violence in queer relationships is real. You deserve to live a life free of violence of any kind. National Domestic Violence Hotline: Hours: 24/7. Languages: English, Spanish, and 200+ through interpretation service. For help call: 800-799-7233

Deon Brown told his mother he was returning to Nashville after performing in a drag show in Memphis. When she got home from work Brown was sleeping, later he told her he'd be visiting a friend. The next day she would get the news that her son was dead. On November 14, 2016 police responding to a call of a body in the parking lot of Nashville's Western Express trucking company found Deon Brown's body surrounded by blood. Police found several items covered in blood but Brown's car was missing. If you'd like to watch this episode use the link below.    Youtube:  https://youtu.be/vZam97aI240    

To watch this episode: https://youtu.be/BeZm9dh4sKo Adrian Murphy was a successful Irish dancer who had traveled the world performing and teaching. In 2019, he moved to London for a position at the Royal Academy of Dance when he was murdered in a scheme to rob rich gay men.  What followed was a race by the police to stop a pair of Scapolomine-wielding lovers from robbing and killing anyone else. Will the police catch them in time? Will they be brought to justice for the murder of Adrian Murphy? A note: In printed reports of this case the Coke can found in the toilet had traces of scopolamine in it. Having reviewed the statements from police on the scene the can was tested for prints. No mention of anything inside.  As incidents of robbery via dating apps rises attention and caution should be paid. 

From the 1970s to 2021 here are nine cases of women and men who were murdered driven by hate, greed, and hate.    To watch any of these stories checkout the Panic: Queer True Crime channel:   

Richard Rogers was respected in his job by patients and colleagues he often blended into the background by the patrons at the bars he frequented. He was also a serial murderer. Strictly speaking, Rogers is not a serial killer. He was convicted of killing two men, suspected of killing two others. He also killed another man almost 20 years before the murders in New York and New Jersey in the 1990s. Rogers was quiet and unassuming. He worked for years as a nurse in the children's ward at Mount Sinai Hospital, one of the great hospitals in the world where he was respected and liked by patients and colleagues alike.  His quietness hide a volcano of anger that would play out with older men whom he met in Manhattan. Called the last-call killer because he targeted men who drank a lot and by closing time were easy to lure back to his home.  The one surviving victim said he was given orange juice and when he came to he was bound with hospital id bracelets up and down both arms. He managed to get away and went to the police. The case went to trial and Rogers's mask of respectability got him acquitted as it did in the 1970s after murdering his college roommate with a hammer, suffocating him, and hiding his body. No one could quite believe this quiet guy was a killer.  An advancement in fingerprint technology would allow police the evidence they needed in the murders of two men. In 2005, Richard Rogers was found guilty of the two murders as well as hiding the body parts. He remains the prime suspect in the murders of two of the other men let's hope technology helps solve their murders as well.  Michael Pierro A friend of 12 years said of Rogers ''He is a lovely fellow who likes antiques and everything that has to do with money,'' Mr. Henry said. But, he said, Rogers never got beyond ''the outskirts'' of the circle of friends he sought. At times, his friend said, Rogers had pretended to be the descendant of an aristocratic New York family. But he added that Mr. Rogers was a do-gooder who volunteered to shop for homebound men with H.I.V. and was considered thoroughly trustworthy by those who knew him. ''He was the kind of guy you could trust with your A.T.M. card.'' 

A few words about this moment we're in and pride. I hope you had a good one.  Hugs and Love and Hugs!

Intimate Partner violence in the LGBTQ+ community is understudied and under-reported with lesbian couples the least studied of all. These are starting to improve and resources are available.  This episode features eight cases of intimate partner murder.  Resources are available if you or anyone you know is in an intimate partner violent relationship.  You deserve to live a life free of violence of any kind.  24, Alexander Duberek, and 30, Chad Luera were in a year-long, long-distance relationship. On Oct. 31, 2020, Duberek flew from San Diego where he lived to his boyfriend's home in Texas with a plan to end the long-distance love affair. 28, Fang Yao was addicted to gambling. She was in debt to friends and her ex-girlfriend 26, Wang Lei, but she wanted more. At 5:30 am on January 30, 2018, her habit would come at a terrible price in the city of Yangzhou. In 1996, wealthy Utah restauranteur John Williams met Craig Crawford in San Francisco on a blind date. Initially, they bonded over their similarities but drug addiction, mental illness, and domestic violence would take their toll. On November 24, 2021, officers responded to a report of a body on the northbound Beltway Parkway in Maryland. Officers found 26, Sharisse Denise Carr lying face down on the shoulder of the road. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Around 3:15 on the morning of Oct. 3rd, 2021, police responded to gunshots fired in Pittsburgh's Sheraden neighborhood. When they arrived they discovered the lifeless body of the mother of three 38, Kia Reynolds. On Sunday 22 May 2016, Lyndsey Vaux of Platt Bridge in England died from the 90 untreated injuries she received over the five years of being assaulted, abused, and starved by her girlfriend, 32 Becky Reid, and Reid's mother. When Peter Farquhar died in his home the cause was thought to be acute alcohol intoxication but his diary would lead law enforcement to the love of his life Ben Field. According to friends 48, Keith Harris and 26, Othman Al-Muttablaby lived happily together in San Francisco until Thursday, November 2, 2017, when Harris was found with multiple stab wounds he died in the hospital from his injuries. Al-Muttablaby was nowhere to be found. Resources: National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Online live chat: thehotline.org SAMHSA's National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline LGBTQ & Gay-Friendly (888) 402-1504 https://www.addicted.org/ If you or someone else is in immediate danger call 9-1-1.  

I've just made a group of shorts for the Panic True Crime channel and I thought I'd put them together and present them to you here. Serial killers of LGBTQ+ folks are the rarest of the rare and often highlight the societal temperature towards queer folk. For example in the murders committed by Michael Lupo in the UK in the 1980s evidence was not tested in a timely way because of a fear of A.I.D.S. The attitudes towards gay men may have hobbled the San Francisco police from solving the murders of the Doodlers forever. On the other hand, when Adam Ezerski was thought to have committed two murders Florida homicide investigators, the FBI, and the gay community helped find and stop a very young killer before he could do anymore.  If you'd like to see any of these shorts you can find them on the Panic True Crime channel. https://www.youtube.com/@panictruecrime/shorts Featured Killers: Killer Cannibals The Doodler's Victim? Herb Baumeister Chance Seneca Richard Rogers Juan Chavez Adam Ezerski Michael Lupo Daniel Conahan Allan Grimson  

John Snavely and Samuel Del Brocco seemed to come from different worlds. One a stripper, model, and gay-for-pay adult star. The other a businessman with powerful GOP connections. A 2010 chance meeting in a Fort Lauderdale strip club would link them forever. A loved man with a double life, a gay-for-pay porn star, a brutal murder, and a possible rush to judgment. Join me for, Collision the Murder of Samuel Del Brocco. Resources: Human Rights Commission. A great resource for making a plan. https://reports.hrc.org/coming-out-living-authentically-as-lgb Trevor Project. They have a hotline, an online chat, and an email. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/

Floridians Kevin Powell and Stephen Adams had been together for 29 years, when they failed to show up for a family Christmas in Ohio they would be discovered murdered in their home.  Peter Avsenew was troubled most of his life he had a troubled upbringing including physical and sexual abuse, but it was the sudden death of his sister that seemed to gin up his rage and anger.  In December of 2010 responding to a welfare check police went to the Broward County home of Kevin Powell and Stephen Adams. The couple had been shot and bludgeoned multiple times, their bodies were wrapped in bleach-soaked blankets. Police found several copies of Craigslist ads written by Peter Avsenew looking for financial support in exchange for sexual favors.  The couple's SUV and many of their valuable items were stolen. When Avsenew arrived unannounced at his mother's house he was driving the SUV. After a few days at his mother's house, which included drafting her into ditching the SUV, a frightened Jeanne Avsenew became suspicious searching the computer his son was using she found he was wanted for two homicides.  What would you do in this situation? Would you keep your child's secret or would you turn him in?   

Wicked and cruel are the words that come to mind for what Ed Buck did when he invited mostly young black men to his apartment in West Hollywood. Buck would entice these men into a meth-fueled session that sometimes lasted for days. On two separate occasions, these sessions ended in death. When a third surviving man agreed to cooperate with police the private life of a wealthy, politically connected predator would finally be exposed.   Resources: SAMHSA's National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/nati...   LGBTQ & Gay-Friendly Rehabs: Statistics, Risk Factors & Treatment (888) 402-1504 https://www.addicted.org/   Ed Buck Superseding Indictment https://www.documentcloud.org/documen... The hero of the piece,   Jasmyne Cannick. Please support her work. https://iamjasmyne.com/category/ed-buck/

AAll Palm Springs, Ca. Clifford Lambert wanted love, all Danny Garcia and Kaushal Niroula wanted was Mr. Lambert's wealth, all of it. In 2008, years of scams, lies, and greed would finally end in murder. In some ways, this con was your standard con involving an older man and a younger man, but that is where anything standard ends. Mr. Lambert became the victim of con artist working covertly first in person and then through email which was where the catfish began. The scam to steal everything from Lambert would grow to a six-man team and the result would be ruin for all. If you think you've been the victim of a scam or catfish here are a few resources that offer help and resources. https://www.thecyberhelpline.com/guides/catfishing https://www.cybersmile.org/ To report the crime Go to www.ftc.gov/idtheft Or call 877-438-4338 or TDD (202) 326-2502 to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).  

In the early morning of July 8, 2015, Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old nursing student living in Hampton County, South Carolina, was found dead in the middle of a dark country road. His death would be the first in a long line of heartaches and tragedies connected to Alex Murdaugh and his family. Was Stephen Smith's killing intentional, was he the victim of a hate crime, or was his death the result of a hit-and-run? As the Alex Murdaugh trial captures worldwide attention let's not forget the person who might have been the first victim to lose their life in a tidal wave of unchecked power and greed. Why would a sober and smart 19-year-old who grew up in the area get out of his car on a dark road in the middle of the night? Why wouldn't he use the phone found in his right pocket to call for help? Why would he leave his wallet in the car if he needed gas? Why wouldn't he call his twin sister or his father to come to get him? While investigating the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh SLED, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which only investigates homicides, found evidence related to Stephen Smith's killing and reopened the investigation into his death. Who killed Stephen Smith and why? Hope we'll have answers soon. Here is a link to the two reports from the highway patrol and the police department. Investigator Summary: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20971438-stephen-smith-investigator-summary-documents This report is a part of reporting on the case: https://www.fitsnews.com/2022/02/17/murdaugh-murders-saga-forensic-review-of-stephen-smiths-autopsy-required/ For a depth overview of the entire Murdaugh, case check out the Murdaugh Murder podcast channel. The reporting has been exhaustive. https://www.youtube.com/@UC6t_kdvrDw2p1F79IBnnNWQ Please feel free to leave your kind thoughts about Stephen Smith you never know who will see them.

One of the reasons I wanted to make this video focused on lesbian intimate partner murder is that the attention to intimate partner violence amongst LGBTQ folks is so underreported even academic research is only now being consistently collected. One of the most poorly covered groups is women in lesbian intimate partner murders. These are three stories of women murdered as a result of intimate partner violence. P.S. I named the episode women in love because, in the reporting of these murders, the love relationships were diminished as they have been across time. I've included the first story for its rarity. Until the 1950s homosexuality was never mentioned in the media unless it was particularly sensational. In 1926, Reba Stobtoff decided to throw a rent party, the 1920s - 30s way to raise money to pay bills. What started as a fun money-making evening ended in a bloodbath fueled by jealousy and booze. In 2012, when officer Crystal Parker was found dead in her bed the fatal truth about her marriage and the woman she loved would be exposed as an emotional trap she nearly escaped before time run out. By all accounts, Annie Meyer was generous to a fault. When that generosity clashed with bottomless greed Annie would lose her life. If you or anyone you know is a victim of intimate partner violence please check the resources below. You deserve to live a life free of violence of any kind. Resources: Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/ The Network/La Red is a survivor-led, social justice organization. The site has a safety exit so your browsing can't be tracked. http://www.tnlr.org Victim Network: https://victimconnect.org/ To watch this episode: https://youtu.be/VdTk2VORI2U  

What happens when you mix love and sex and the fear of exposure? It can sometimes result in murder. In this episode three cases of love turned to murder. On February 17th 2022, the twenty year olds Philadelphians, Naasire Johnson and Kylen Pratt's secret relationship would end in murder. The brutality of the crime would leave loved ones bereft and heartbroken. In Methuen, Massachusetts, 41-year-old Willie Escobar's attempt to end his long relationship with a closeted man would end in murder. Would Escobar's other relationships with closeted men complicate solving his murder? In 2015, a 27th floor of a high-rise Atlanta, Georgia condo would be the setting for the end of a high-stakes love affair between two married men leaving one man dead and the other on the run. Being in the closet increases the chances of depression, suicidal idealization, and substance abuse. I choose these cases because these extremes can be enlightening for folks living in less extreme circumstances. If you're struggling with your sexual identity there are resources to help you. You deserve to live a life free of self-hatred and fear. You deserve to be happy. Resources: Human Rights Commission. A great resource for making a plan. https://reports.hrc.org/coming-out-living-authentically-as-lgb Trevor Project. They have a hotline, an online chat, and an email. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/

This one of those cases that's a punctuation point for the use of the gay panic defense in law. The poor victim was sidelined as the defense did all they could to, if not justify the murder, contextualize it, which now and then seemed like a mission impossible. My heart goes out to Hajna.   The 1962 acid murder of 25-year-old Hajna de Kaplany by her doctor husband of five weeks has at its core an element that is rarely discussed. For all his professional accomplishments, Dr. de Kaplany felt his beautiful wife only wanted him for the social standing and the wealth he could someday provide. On one hot California night, the planning, implanted sense of betrayal, and the need for revenge would explode in an act so brutal that only death could be the possible outcome. At trial, Dr. de Kaplany's lawyer would be one of the first in the United States to use homosexual panic as part of a mental illness defense to explain the defendant's murderous actions. By the end of the 1960s, homosexual panic would be used solely as a rationale for heterosexual men murdering gay men then trans men and women. Thanks for joining me for, Acid The Murder of Hajna de Kaplany. To watch this episode find it at: https://youtu.be/A0Mo9639wvk

In the 1920s through the 1960s indecent proposals, indecent advances, and honor slayings were all buzzwords used to explain one man's rationale for killing another. The handsome singer Louis Kenneth Neu murdered two men for their clothes, their cars, their cash, and his honor. When 35-year-old Lawrence Shead didn't arrive for work his Patterson, New Jersey colleagues went to his apartment. They found Mr. Shead dead on his bed. His suits, shoes, cash, and car were missing. Neighbors and friends reported Shead had a guest for a views days. As police pursued this guest they would find they were several steps behind as Lious Kenneth Neu had ditched Shead's black and yellow coupe escaping by train to New Orleans. In the lobby of the luxurious Jung Hotel Neu thought he'd hit the jackpot when he met a wealthy man from Tennessee. When he was finally caught and put on trial questions about Neu's mental health would be central as would his need to keep himself, the court, and the press entertained right up to the end. To watch this episode join me on Youtube: https://youtu.be/If3t9TqVgwI

San Francisco resident 75-year-old James Sheahan had terminal cancer but that wouldn't be his cause of death. It would be his friendship with a man whose greed and desperate need to be with the love of his life that would cost Mr. Sheahan dearly. To report elder abuse or find services for older adults and their families, visit The Eldercare Locator. You can also access the Locator by calling 1-800-677-1116. The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging. Adult Protective Services https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/aps/index.htm To watch this episode on Youtube:  https://youtu.be/t88uVHAdJZg  

In 1988, 55 year-old, Yale educated Dr. Richard Boggs and business partners 46 year-old, Melvin Eugene Hanson, and 25 year-old John Hawkins joined together in an insurance scam that would net them a million dollars. The only problem was, in order to get the money someone would have to die. The victim of the scheme, 36 year-old Ellis Greene was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In order to bring the suspects to justice law enforcement would reach across the Atlantic ending in four ruined lives and a kind and loving man murdered for financial gain. Join me for Scammed: Dr. Richard Boggs and the murder of Ellis Greene To watch this episode join me on Youtube: https://youtu.be/3c8ciclJQIE