logo
episode-header-image
About this episode
San Francisco was a haven for queer people in the 1970s, but it was also home to a little-known serial killer called the Doodler. It might sound like a silly name, by his body count is as high as the Zodiac's. All of his victims were gay men. The Doodler was never caught. His murder spree was forgotten — lost in the chaos of the times. But 46 years later, th ... Show More
Up next
Mar 2026
Out Now: Crime Scene Weekly — Unforgettable True Crime Stories
From The Binge, ⁠Crime Scene⁠ plunges you into stories you can’t stop thinking about—revisiting cases that deserve a second look. Join Jonathan Hirsch (My Fugitive Dad, Dear Franklin Jones) and investigative reporter Cooper Moll as they crack open overlooked details, challenge th ... Show More
1m 8s
Mar 2021
1. The Coldest Case in San Francisco
You’ve probably heard of the Zodiac Killer but not The Doodler. Why not? Between 1974 and ‘75 he killed at least 5 gay men in San Francisco and got away with it. But ever since, the case has been mostly overlooked. Until now. SFPD re-opened the case in 2018, with investigator Dan ... Show More
32m 21s
Mar 2021
1. The Coldest Case in San Francisco
You’ve probably heard of the Zodiac Killer but not The Doodler. Why not? Between 1974 and ‘75 he killed at least 5 gay men in San Francisco and got away with it. But ever since, the case has been mostly overlooked. Until now. SFPD re-opened the case in 2018, with investigator Dan ... Show More
30m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2025
The Doodler | 1. The Coldest Case in San Francisco
You’ve probably heard of the Zodiac Killer but not The Doodler. Why not? Between 1974 and ‘75 he killed at least 5 gay men in San Francisco and got away with it. But ever since, the case has been mostly overlooked. Until now. SFPD re-opened the case in 2018, with investigator Dan ... Show More
31m 48s
Sep 2024
The Doodler: The Gay Community's Unsolved Nightmare
Explore the chilling unsolved case of "The Doodler," a serial killer who targeted San Francisco's gay community in the 1970s. Discover the impact of prejudice and police indifference on this cold case. Sponsors: shopify.com/CASUAL - start your $1 per month trial period RocketMo ... Show More
44m 57s
Mar 2023
S2 Ep43: The Doodler: Silent Terror in San Francisco
Does a monstrous society breed monsters? Hate can twist, contort and mutate into something truly evil within an individual, propelling them to do unspeakable things. In the 1970s, a serial killer stalked the clubs and lounges of San Francisco, targeting gay men. His darkly artist ... Show More
34m 12s
May 2025
SERIAL KILLER: The Doodler
<p>In the 1970s, few places on earth were more queer-friendly than San Francisco. But it wasn’t all drag queens and rainbows in the City by the Bay, and when the bodies of gay men started turning up one after another, fear spread like wildfire, and it got harder and harder to dis ... Show More
49m 33s
Jul 2025
The Doodler | 2. Murder, Mistrust, and the SFPD
The Doodler’s second known victim is an up-and-coming San Francisco drag queen named Jae Stevens. In the present, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Kevin Fagan recruits private investigator and former Chronicle colleague Mike Taylor to help him track down some of Stevens’ friends and ... Show More
34m 46s
Aug 2025
The Doodler | 8. Rays of Hope
Since the reactivation of the Doodler case in 2018, Dan Cunningham has been eyeing a key person of interest. Cunningham met with him and even got a sample of his DNA. The SFPD is comparing that DNA with blood from the original crime scenes. Kevin and Mike convince Cunningham that ... Show More
41m 27s
Jul 2019
“The Doodler” - San Francisco’s Unknown Serial Slayer
At first, many gay men in 1970s San Francisco were dazzled by a handsome young artist who drew their caricatures on cocktail napkins. But as time went on, and the bodies started piling up, word spread. Avoid the Doodler at all costs. Sponsors! Ring Neighbors - Make sure you and y ... Show More
47m 26s
Jul 2025
The Doodler | 3. The Zebra Diversion
Kevin and Mike dig deeper into the lives of the first three Doodler victims, and a clear pattern begins to emerge around the method and location of these deaths: brutal stabbings in remote hookup spots. Did SFPD see that pattern in the ‘70s? Or was it lost amid the crime wave swe ... Show More
26m 19s
Aug 2025
The Doodler | 6. A Sketch for the Street Cops
In the Fall of 1975, a composite sketch of The Doodler is published in the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Sentinel, and tips begin to roll in. Street cops are on high alert for anyone matching the description. Inspectors Rotea Gilford and Earl Sanders round up seve ... Show More
24m 54s
Jul 2025
The Doodler | 4. Gilford and Sanders
More than a year after the murder of Gerald Cavanagh, the SFPD finally assigns a dedicated team of investigators to The Doodler case. Turns out Rotea Gilford and Earl Sanders, the first Black homicide investigators in the SFPD, are perfectly suited for the job. Around this time, ... Show More
30m 33s