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 distinguish rumor from fact.
Jul 6
MURDERED: Carmen Van Huss
On March 23, 1993, screams tore through the thin walls of a gated Indianapolis apartment complex as 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss fought for her life. Neighbors heard the attack, but no one called 911. Carmen was assaulted, mutilated, and killed. For decades, her murder remained un ... Show More
49m 15s
Jun 29
MURDERED: Christine Banfield & Joseph Ryan
When 37-year-old Christine Banfield and 39-year-old Joseph Ryan were found fatally injured inside a Virginia home in 2023, investigators were initially told that Ryan was a violent intruder and that Christine’s husband, Brendan Banfield, a federal agent, had tried to save her. Bu ... Show More
1h 7m
Jun 22
MISSING: Brittany Wallace Shank
On November 30, 2018, 23-year-old Brittany Wallace Shank showed up barefoot and bleeding at a stranger's door asking for help. She said the man she was with had crashed their car and ran away. Deputies were on the way. But before they arrived, Brittany disappeared into the darkne ... Show More
1h 15m
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
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 | 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