Panic Queer True Crime
Panic: Queer True Crime, a podcast, and youtube channel featuring stories about the life and death of LGBTQ+ people. https://reggiedeepdive.com/queerpanicdive/ A little bit about Panic. I created this true-crime channel to focus on the life and murders of LGBTQ+ people. I called the channel Panic because for much more of the recorded history of LGBTQ+ folks there’s been a panic. By investigating everything from hate crimes to domestic violence murders and serial killers we'll gain insight into how societal views can affect the fight for justice. now and then we'll celebrate some of the people who’ve lived their lives out loud and proud often at great sacrifice. Panic is both a podcast and a YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@panicqueertruecrime Sometimes being queer can be murder. Join me! Check out the first two seasons of the podcast for a little something different.
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Partners, Lovers, and Strangers
04/21/2024
Partners, Lovers, and Strangers
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: 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: 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
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Being Queer Doesn't Kill, Homophobia Does 05
04/08/2024
Being Queer Doesn't Kill, Homophobia Does 05
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: Please subscribe and like. Thanks!
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The Handcuff Man
03/24/2024
The Handcuff Man
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.
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Cunanan: The Murders of Jeffrey Trail And David Madson
03/17/2024
Cunanan: The Murders of Jeffrey Trail And David Madson
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: 48 Hours Richard Schlesinger's connection with a Cunanan victim Pictures and Letters
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Being Queer can be Murder 01
03/04/2024
Being Queer can be Murder 01
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: 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: 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.
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Being Queer Doesn't Kill, Homophobia Does 04
02/14/2024
Being Queer Doesn't Kill, Homophobia Does 04
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 . You deserve to live a life free of violence of any kind.
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Eight Stories of Love, Deception, and Murder
01/23/2024
Eight Stories of Love, Deception, and Murder
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: 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 . You deserve to live a life free of violence of any kind.
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The Life and Death of Jimmy Zappalorti
01/14/2024
The Life and Death of Jimmy Zappalorti
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:
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Being Queer Doesn't Kill, Homophobia Does 03
12/25/2023
Being Queer Doesn't Kill, Homophobia Does 03
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
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Being Queer Doesn't Kill, Homophobia Does 02
12/11/2023
Being Queer Doesn't Kill, Homophobia Does 02
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 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
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The Queer Hate Crimes of Australia End
11/26/2023
The Queer Hate Crimes of Australia End
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. 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
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The Queer Hate Crimes of Australia
10/16/2023
The Queer Hate Crimes of Australia
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. Cyril Olsen Kritchikorn Rattanajuathaporn William Allen Raymond Keam
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Australian Bashing Murders and Two Cases of Intimate partner Violence
10/07/2023
Australian Bashing Murders and Two Cases of Intimate partner Violence
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: You can find the episode Bashed here in the Panic podcasts.
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Being Gay Doesn't Kill Folks, but Homophobia Does Part One
09/24/2023
Being Gay Doesn't Kill Folks, but Homophobia Does Part One
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 Colin 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
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The Murder of Deon Brown
08/14/2023
The Murder of Deon Brown
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:
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Devil's Breath: The Murder of Adrian Murphy
07/30/2023
Devil's Breath: The Murder of Adrian Murphy
To watch this episode: 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.
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Nine Cases of Women and Men Murdered by Hate
07/17/2023
Nine Cases of Women and Men Murdered by Hate
From the 1970s to 2021 here are nine cases of women and men who were murdered driven by hate, greed, and hate. Michelle Abdill, Roxanne Ellis, and Robert Acremant, A Ball of Hate Murder in the Shenandoahs, Julianne Marie Williams and Laura Winan Who Killed Kylen Schulte And Crystal Turner? Fong Hiu Tung and Lau Kai Hei Dr. Duncan: Drowned by the Police for Fun Mark Carson Elliot Morales Murder in the Village Paul Broussard Michael Sandy Malachi Robinson set up and shot a 16-year-old The Gay Hell's Kitchen Murders To watch any of these stories checkout the Panic: Queer True Crime channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4r13FF8ExLGbhfSH6i4hw
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Richard Rogers, The Last Call Killer
07/09/2023
Richard Rogers, The Last Call Killer
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.''
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Pride Special Message
06/26/2023
Pride Special Message
A few words about this moment we're in and pride. I hope you had a good one. Hugs and Love and Hugs!
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Eight Cases of Same Sex Intimate Partner Murder
06/19/2023
Eight Cases of Same Sex Intimate Partner Murder
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.
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Ten Serial Killers of Gay Men
06/04/2023
Ten Serial Killers of Gay Men
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. Featured Killers: Killer Cannibals The Doodler’s Victim? Herb Baumeister Chance Seneca Richard Rogers Juan Chavez Adam Ezerski Michael Lupo Daniel Conahan Allan Grimson
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John "Champ" Snavely and the Murder of Samuel Del Brocco
05/11/2023
John "Champ" Snavely and the Murder of Samuel Del Brocco
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/
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SLAYER Peter Avsenew
04/09/2023
SLAYER Peter Avsenew
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?
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The Wicked and Cruel Crimes of Ed Buck
04/03/2023
The Wicked and Cruel Crimes of Ed Buck
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. LGBTQ & Gay-Friendly Rehabs: Statistics, Risk Factors & Treatment (888) 402-1504 Ed Buck Superseding Indictment The hero of the piece, Jasmyne Cannick. Please support her work.
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Catfished: The Murder of Clifford Lambert
03/20/2023
Catfished: The Murder of Clifford Lambert
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. To report the crime Go to Or call 877-438-4338 or TDD (202) 326-2502 to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
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The Murdaughs and the Killing of Stephen Smith
02/24/2023
The Murdaughs and the Killing of Stephen Smith
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: This report is a part of reporting on the case: For a depth overview of the entire Murdaugh, case check out the Murdaugh Murder podcast channel. The reporting has been exhaustive. Please feel free to leave your kind thoughts about Stephen Smith you never know who will see them.
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Lesbian Intimate Partner Murder
01/31/2023
Lesbian Intimate Partner Murder
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: The Network/La Red is a survivor-led, social justice organization. The site has a safety exit so your browsing can't be tracked. Victim Network: To watch this episode:
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Love and Murder in the Closet
01/12/2023
Love and Murder in the Closet
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/
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Acid: The Murder of Hajna de Kaplany
12/23/2022
Acid: The Murder of Hajna de Kaplany
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:
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Louis Kenneth Neu: Indecent
11/08/2022
Louis Kenneth Neu: Indecent
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
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