In 1978, 36-year-old John Wayne Gacy was arrested for the murder of 16-year-old Robert Piest. Here are four gay serial killers that evaded detection in part because of homophobia. Due to deeply ingrained biases, ignored and mishandled evidence, and assumptions about the victims, some of these cases took decades to solve while victim counts continued to grow.
This month, we’re taking a look at some of the most infamous gay serial killers-and how their victims were treated, by the police, the media, and the public. Queer Crime is a monthly column focusing on true crime with an LGBTQ+ spin whether it’s the victim or the perpetrator. Meanwhile hate crimes, including murders of gay, trans and non-binary people are on the rise. From serial killers like Ted Bundy, the Golden State Killer and Paul Bernardo to victims of the most talked-about unsolved cases like JonBenet Ramsey, the media is busy covering a certain (very small) selection of cases. At the same time, we know that cases that get the most attention are usually ones that are committed against white, middle class, cisgender people. If you’re a true crime fan, you know there’s no shortage of books, documentaries, podcasts and original reporting dedicated to the victims of violent crimes and the people who commit those crimes. These prolific serial killers could have been caught sooner if police weren’t so quick to brush off their victims…
