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 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
Trailer: Introducing The Doodler
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 mur ... Show More
3m 33s
Oct 2020
Help Us Find a Serial Killer: The Doodler
The Golden State Killer. The Unabomber. Ted Bundy. Serial killers you’ll be familiar with. But between 1974 and 1975, there was another ruthless serial killer at large, terrorizing San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community. He was coined the "Doodler” and may have killed as many people as ... Show More
1m 50s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2017
E26: The Zodiac Killer
In the late 1960's and early 1970's, the self-proclaimed Zodiac Killer was responsible for at least five murders in Northern California. He cultivated his notoriety by sending taunting letters and cryptic ciphers to all the major newspapers in the California Bay Area until 1974, ... Show More
38m 17s
Jan 2023
212 - Who is Victim Number 5?
Between 1990 and 1991, four unsolved homicides occurred in and around the city of St. Louis. Robyn Mihan, Brenda Pruitt, Sandy Little and Donna Reitmeyer had been murdered, kept for some period of time and then disposed of by an unknown predator referred to as the "Package Killer ... Show More
1h 27m
May 2022
Murder Made Me Famous: Jack The Ripper
The case is undoubtedly the most infamous murder-mystery in history. “Jack the Ripper” is the name given to the unidentified serial killer that murdered and mutilated five female prostitutes in London in 1888. While there have been over 100 theories presented on the Ripper’s true ... Show More
44m 11s
Feb 2020
The Zodiac Killer Pt. 1
In the summer of 1969, newspapers in San Francisco began receiving coded letters from a man who would come to identify himself as "the Zodiac." The killer confessed to a string of brutal murders and would go on to terrorize the Bay area into the early 1970s. Learn more about your ... Show More
39m 40s
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 you ... Show More
49m 26s
Apr 2015
The Zodiac Killer - 118
The Zodiac Killer. His attacks were accompanied by phone calls & letters that taunted police and threatened harm on others. Just what do we really know about these killings? What evidence have investigators collected over the years? Does anyone truly know the identity of the kill ... Show More
1h 29m
Oct 2022
Zodiac
David Fincher's 2007 film, Zodiac, focused on a killer whose identity was shrouded in mystery, who averted capture during the entirety of his reign of terror. He left breadcrumbs for the authorities, taunting them with clues and coded hints, but his crimes are considered some of ... Show More
29m 57s
Feb 2021
The Night Stalker
Sara and Danny are back to discuss one of the most notorious criminals from the Golden State: The Night Stalker. They unpack Richard Ramirez’s childhood and discuss how his experiences played a role in his path towards murder. Then, they delve into an overview of his crimes and t ... Show More
57m 33s
Feb 2022
Episode 77: The misfit serial killer who almost got away with murder
He was a loner and a misfit who lived with his parents until his early 30s but went on to become a serial killer who stalked his victims on dating apps and gay hook-up sites. But, Stephen Port was no cunning killer, and when he was tried for four murders in the Old Bailey the fai ... Show More
43m 58s