Panic: Queer True Crime
On March 16th, 1973, three members of the Schallock family were found dead in their driveway as their home burned behind them. This episode explores the tragic descent of Brent William Bedayan, a former athlete whose treatment of schizophrenia couldn't prevent the devastating, violent outcome. Discover how the defense relied on the discredited psychiatric theory "homosexual panic," even though the decade had ushered in advances in the understanding and treatment of paranoia and schizophrenia. Join me to explore the rarely discussed intersection of mental health, LGBTQ+ history, and...
info_outlinePanic: Queer True Crime
Sex, Identity, and The Fight for Basic Rights Two landmark cases that overturned the targeted attempts on the part of states across the United States to criminalize being queer. In 1982 and 1998, both Michael Hardwick, John Geddes Lawrence Jr., and Tyron Garner were arrested for having sex in the privacy of their own homes. A State of Emergency: Violence Against Black Trans Women, A Cry for Justice 4 Black Trans Women Killed – A State of Emergency from across the country of black transgender women murdered by gun violence. All but one of these cases is solved. All of the women deserve the...
info_outlinePanic: Queer True Crime
A Serial Killer in the Suburbs of Paris The first victim was spotted by a passerby on August 13, 2025, as officials fished the body out of the Seine in a suburb of Paris near a known gay cruising spot. Divers searching the area found another body, then another, then another. As investigators search for answers and other possible victims, speculation swirls about the motive for the murders. The Murder of Ryan Godbey: A Family Seeks Justice Ryan Godbey, a beloved member of Canton’s LGBTQ+ community, whose a disappearance and murder shocked the Canton, Ohio area in 2025. The arrest...
info_outlinePanic: Queer True Crime
Paul Carlile and William Sakosky On November 5, 1982, Paul Carlile and William Sakosky checked into a room at the gay Florida resort Parliament House, only one of them would leave. Alana Miccolis and Megha Saluja Alana Miccolis and Megha Saluja agreed to spend a weekend at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando, Florida. No one could have imagined how the trail of texts would lead detectives to a volatile trail of obsession, intimate partner violence, and death. Timothy Charles Lee On the evening of November 2, 1985, 23-year-old fashion design student Timothy Charles Lee fell asleep on the Bay Area...
info_outlinePanic: Queer True Crime
The story of Ian McLoughlin's murder spree contains mentions of crimes against teenagers and children. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. This content is intended for educational purposes only and aims to examine flaws in the justice system. It is not suitable for viewers under 18. Please prioritize your mental health and well-being. Ian McLoughlin - a serial killer who exploited the UK's controversial "provocation defense" to escape murder charges and continue killing for decades. In 1983, McLoughlin brutally murdered Len Delgatty but convinced a jury he was "provoked" by alleged audio...
info_outlinePanic: Queer True Crime
To belatedly celebrate Pride, this special month-long podcast series highlights four extraordinary figures—some queer, some allied—whose lives and work shaped LGBTQ+ history in ways both bold and quietly revolutionary. We begin with the mysterious, evocative collaboration between African American model T and famed artist John Singer Sargent. Their decade-long connection, hidden in Sargent’s private collection, speaks volumes about art, desire, and survival in the shadows. Next, we honor Lorraine Hansberry—a trailblazing playwright, civil rights activist, and quiet radical. Though best...
info_outlinePanic: Queer True Crime
Two corrections: The pronunciation of Beaulieu is closer to "B-you-ly" or BYOO-lee. In the episode, I mention that the age of consent was 16. That was the age of consent for heterosexuals only. Homosexuality was illegal across all ages until a minor reform in 1967. The Sexual Offences Act 1967 legalized homosexual acts between two men over 21 in private. This did not apply to the armed forces or the merchant navy. Lesbian acts were never criminalized, so there was no legal age of consent. In the spring of 1953, four men, including a British lord and two RAF officers, would become the...
info_outlinePanic: Queer True Crime
Several of these stories and their victims are part of the anti-queer wave of legislation put in place by the UK conservative government seeking to outlaw homosexuality. As the anti-queer rhetoric rose, so did the violence against the LGBTQ+ community. The de Gruchy case was the first time the mainstream press began to use the term “queer-bashing” to describe the murderous level of hate crimes. Before this, the tone was unmistakably mock and/or cruel, but the standard would not hold. In 1969, Michael de Gruchy was attacked and beaten to death by a teen gang trolling a gay...
info_outlinePanic: Queer True Crime
One of the reasons I wanted to cover the murders of actor, Michael Boone, and hotel porter William Dalziel is that, like me, some of you will be surprised at when they happened. As it turns out, the crackdown on gay men using indecency laws meant gay men were arrested, and the signal to the homophobes was that it was hunting season. In 1990, the lives of lesbians and gays, not to mention trans and gender nonconforming people, were under assault. Section 28, a cynical bit of anti-gay legislation hung a shadow over the well-being of queer folks. In researching these cases, one of the sad...
info_outlinePanic: 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,...
info_outlineSex, Identity, and The Fight for Basic Rights
Two landmark cases that overturned the targeted attempts on the part of states across the United States to criminalize being queer. In 1982 and 1998, both Michael Hardwick, John Geddes Lawrence Jr., and Tyron Garner were arrested for having sex in the privacy of their own homes.
A State of Emergency: Violence Against Black Trans Women, A Cry for Justice
4 Black Trans Women Killed – A State of Emergency from across the country of black transgender women murdered by gun violence. All but one of these cases is solved. All of the women deserve the same justice.
A College Football Player's Deadly Secret: The Ty Underwood Case
On January 26, 2015, residents of a quiet Tyler, Texas neighborhood were startled awake when a car came to a sudden stop, followed by the sound of gunfire. When police arrived, they found the body of 24-year-old Ty Underwood shot to death behind the wheel of her car. Following a trail of clues, police soon arrested 21-year-old Texas College student and football player Carlton Ray Champion Jr. The trial that followed would expose a relationship a killer was desperate to hide.
The Mysterious Death of Timothy Lee
On the evening of November 2, 1985, 23-year-old fashion design student Timothy Charles Lee fell asleep on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train while traveling home after work in San Francisco. Eleven hours later, he was found hanging from a tree in a vacant lot near the Concord BART station.
The Murder of Mr. Tidd
On a warm Miami, Florida evening in 1959, 32, Chelcie Tidd met a handsome stranger and invited him home. At the end of the evening, Tidd's body would be found floating in his pool, and the 23, James Seitz would be on the run. In custody, Seitz would recite line and verse a tale of an unwanted advance and his violent homosexual panic response. A closer look at his past would challenge the idea of panic.
Sex, Identity, and The Fight for Basic Rights
Two landmark cases that overturned the targeted attempts on the part of states across the United States to criminalize being queer. In 1982 and 1998, both Michael Hardwick, John Geddes Lawrence Jr., and Tyron Garner were arrested for having sex in the privacy of their own homes.
It would take decades to overturn the redefinition of sodomy that sought to criminalize the act of same-sex sex. Some of you might be surprised, as I am every time I review these facts, how recent they are. Now and then, someone leaves a comment about how long ago some of the events covered on the channel were.
My response is that current events make a powerful case for telling these stories. Having a firm grounding in what's come before is a solid way of facing the triumphs and challenges to come.
Please subscribe and share these stories.
RESOURCES:
Here is a list of contact information for inquiries or tips about these homicides:
Honee Daniels (Rochester, NY) Rochester Police Department Public Information Officer: Gregory Bello (no direct public phone listed, contact via main line) Rochester Police Department non-emergency: (585) 428-6690 For general tips, contact Rochester Police or check local news sources for updates.
Redd / Barbie (Chicago, IL) Chicago Police Department Non-Emergency: 311 (within city limits) Anti-Gun Enforcement Hotline: (877) CPD-GUNS (273-4867) Gang Hotline: (312) 746-GANG (4264) General contact and tips: Chicago Police Department website or hotline numbers.
Tai Lathan (Baltimore, MD) Baltimore Police Department Homicide Unit: (410) 396-2100 Metro Crime Stoppers (anonymous tips): 1-866-7-LOCKUP (1-866-752-6587) Community advocates such as Maryland Safe Haven are also involved.
Monique Brooks (Orlando, FL) Orange County Sheriff's Office Crimeline (anonymous tips and reward): 1-800-423-TIPS (1-800-423-8477) Orange County Sheriff's Office main line: (407) 836-4357 For updates, check Orange County Sheriff's social media or news releases.
Shannon Boswell (Atlanta, GA) DeKalb County Police Department Non-Emergency: (404) 294-2911 For further tips or information, contact DeKalb County PD or local community organizations.
These contacts are intended for providing information or tips related to these homicide investigations. If immediate assistance is needed or to report a crime in progress, always call 911.