Homocidal Tendency: A Queer True Crime Podcast

Halloween night, 1958. Charleston, South Carolina. 

Beneath the veneer of old money and polite society,  company executive Jack Dobbins was forced to navigate the dangerous reality of living as a closeted gay man in the conservative South. 

After a night out at a local mixed bar, Jack invited a 18-year-old Air Force airman into his historic Queen Street home. 

The next morning, Jack was found brutally bludgeoned to death in his parlor.

​This week, we kick off our October spooky season marathon by stepping over the threshold of that Queen Street home. 

We are untangling a web of 1950s prejudice, a chillingly calculated confession, and a justice system that put a murder victim on trial. 

This is the tragic history of the Jack Dobbins murder and the devastating legacy of the "gay panic" defense.

​Research & Sources

• ​The Real Rainbow Row: Explorations in Charleston's LGBTQ History by Harlan Greene
• ​Archival issues of the News and Courier and the Evening Post (November - December 1958)
• ​Historical court summaries: State of South Carolina vs. John Mahon

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** This is a Re-recording of Episode 40 the audio was just not hitting my standards **

In September 1988, the mummified remains of a woman were discovered concealed in Florida’s Green Swamp. 

What should have been a standard homicide investigation was instantly derailed by a single, catastrophic scientific error on the autopsy table. 

For 37 years, investigators chased a ghost a cisgender mother dubbed "Julie Doe" while the real victim's identity sat locked away in her DNA.

​This week, Matt breaks down the fatal 1988 misclassification of pelvic bone remodeling, the brutal reality of underground gender-affirming care in the 1980s South, and the agonizing five-year genetic genealogy battle.

 Discover how the DNA Doe Project and the Trans Doe Task Force fought through sealed adoption records and modern algorithmic prejudice to finally reveal the 2025 truth: her name is Pamela Leigh Walton.

​Do You Have Information?

Pamela's murder remains an open, active homicide investigation.

 Authorities are seeking anyone who may have known Pamela in Kentucky or Florida, or who might have information regarding her movements in the summer of 1988 after her July 6th arrest in Lexington.

​Lake County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit: 352-343-9529
​Email: [email protected]

​Crimeline (Anonymous): 1-800-423-TIPS
​Support Homocidal Tendency

​Episode Sources & Research Materials:

​The DNA Doe Project: Official case updates and genetic genealogy timeline for the "Julie Doe" / Pamela Leigh Walton case.

​Trans Doe Task Force: Information regarding the specific forensic misclassification of trans individuals, historical context of 1980s LGBTQ+ marginalized victimology, and the 2024 Meta ad rejections.

​Lake County Sheriff's Office: March 10, 2025, press conference and official case file disclosures regarding the Green Swamp discovery and physical evidence.

​C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory: Historical context on Dr. William R. Maples' 1988 anthropological examination and the misclassification of parturition pits vs. HRT bone resorption.

​University of South Florida / UNT Center for Human Identification: Details regarding the inaccurate isotope testing and the initial struggles with DNA extraction from the mummified remains.

Social Media and Support for the show

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It’s the mid-1970s. Downtown Toronto is caught between the liberation of the disco era and a suffocating, deeply ingrained societal paranoia. 

For the men drinking under the glow of the St. Charles Tavern clock tower, the Village is a sanctuary. But sanctuaries are only safe until a predator finds the door.

​This week on Homocidal Tendency, we step into the neon-lit grit of the Yonge Street strip to track a terrifying string of 14 brutal, unsolved murders. 

We are breaking down the horrifying signature of overkill left behind by a phantom killer, the suffocating apathy of the mainstream media, and the ultimate, twisted irony of the Toronto Police. 

While law enforcement claimed they lacked the resources to hunt a serial killer slaughtering men in their own bedrooms, they managed to find unlimited funding and manpower to launch the militarized 1981 Operation Soap bathhouse raids.

​We also pull back the curtain on the prime suspect who simply vanished into the fog, and discuss how the institutional rot of the 1970s laid the exact blueprint for Bruce McArthur decades later.

​Visual Companions:

Head over to our socials to see this week's visual assets, including vintage photos of the St. Charles Tavern in its gritty prime, the original composite sketch of the "smelly" suspect, and archival press clippings.

https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

​Support Homocidal Tendency:

Producing these deep dives, researching the cold cases, and building out the dark synth sound design takes a massive amount of time and resources. If you want to help cover the production expenses that keep the synths humming and the dark history coming, consider joining our newly launched Patreon. You’ll get access to behind-the-scenes content, early ad-free episodes, and exclusive bonus material.

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If you are locked into this week's true crime history, the best way to help this indie podcast grow is to leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or directly on our Buzzsprout page. Share this episode with a fellow true crime fan

​Episode Sources & Further Reading:

• ​Uncover: The Village (CBC Podcasts, Season 3): Investigative journalism by Justin Ling detailing the historical context of the 1970s Toronto Village murders and their connection to the systemic failures seen in the Bruce McArthur case.
• ​The Body Politic (Archives): Original reporting and community warnings published by the Toronto-based queer liberation magazine between 1975 and 1981, documenting the murders and challenging the police response.
• ​"Operation Soap" Historical Records: Press and historical documentation covering the February 5, 1981, Toronto bathhouse raids and the subsequent protests that sparked Canada's Stonewall.
• ​Ontario Cold Cases: Canada's True Crime Podcast: Historical timeline data and specific case file breakdowns regarding victims Arthur Walkley, Brian Latocki, and Alexander "Sandy" LeBlanc.

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In September 1988, the mummified remains of a woman were discovered concealed in Florida’s Green Swamp. 

What should have been a standard homicide investigation was instantly derailed by a single, catastrophic scientific error on the autopsy table. 

For 37 years, investigators chased a ghost a cisgender mother dubbed "Julie Doe" while the real victim's identity sat locked away in her DNA.

​This week, Matt breaks down the fatal 1988 misclassification of pelvic bone remodeling, the brutal reality of underground gender-affirming care in the 1980s South, and the agonizing five-year genetic genealogy battle.

 Discover how the DNA Doe Project and the Trans Doe Task Force fought through sealed adoption records and modern algorithmic prejudice to finally reveal the 2025 truth: her name is Pamela Leigh Walton.

​Do You Have Information?

Pamela's murder remains an open, active homicide investigation.

 Authorities are seeking anyone who may have known Pamela in Kentucky or Florida, or who might have information regarding her movements in the summer of 1988 after her July 6th arrest in Lexington.

​Lake County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit: 352-343-9529
​Email: [email protected]

​Crimeline (Anonymous): 1-800-423-TIPS
​Support Homocidal Tendency

​Episode Sources & Research Materials:

​The DNA Doe Project: Official case updates and genetic genealogy timeline for the "Julie Doe" / Pamela Leigh Walton case.

​Trans Doe Task Force: Information regarding the specific forensic misclassification of trans individuals, historical context of 1980s LGBTQ+ marginalized victimology, and the 2024 Meta ad rejections.

​Lake County Sheriff's Office: March 10, 2025, press conference and official case file disclosures regarding the Green Swamp discovery and physical evidence.

​C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory: Historical context on Dr. William R. Maples' 1988 anthropological examination and the misclassification of parturition pits vs. HRT bone resorption.

​University of South Florida / UNT Center for Human Identification: Details regarding the inaccurate isotope testing and the initial struggles with DNA extraction from the mummified remains.

Social Media and Support for the show

https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

Send us Fan Mail

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​On the night of March 23, 2004, 31-year-old Kevin Clewer stepped out into the neon-lit sanctuary of Chicago’s Boystown district for a casual Tuesday night of barhopping. 

He was charismatic, deeply loved by his community, and completely unaware that a chance meeting with a stranger would shatter his family forever.

​The man went by "Fernando." 

By 4:00 AM the next morning, Fernando walked out of Kevin’s apartment and vanished into the pre-dawn darkness, leaving the young man dead from 42 stab wounds in a horrific display of overkill.

​This week, we step back into the 2004 club scene to trace the timeline.

We break down the agonizingly cold police response, the devastating physical toll the unsolved case took on Kevin’s parents, and the relentless, 22-year fight led by his brother, Ron. 

From a composite sketch taped to Halsted Street lampposts to a paralyzing legal dead-end in Puerto Rico, this is the story of a killer hiding in plain sight and the massive bounty designed to finally bring him down.

​Help Catch "Fernando"

There is an active $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the man responsible for Kevin Clewer's murder.

• ​Chicago Police Area Three Detective Division: (312) 744-8261
• ​Anonymous Tip Line: (833) 408-0069
•  ​Family Archive & Advocacy: View the composite sketch and read more at 4chicagokev.com. 

​Support Homocidal Tendency

Producing this show from the deep-dive research to the custom dark synth audio design is entirely a one-man operation. 

To help cover production expenses and keep the microphones on, join the community on our brand new Patreon.

https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

​Research & Resources Used For This Episode:

• ​The Clewer Family Official Archive: 4chicagokev.com (Primary source for family statements, timeline, and the Fernando sketch).
• ​Fox 32 Chicago: August 2026 Investigative Update & Detective John Campbell Interviews (Source for the Puerto Rico developments and current reward status).
• ​True Crime Podcasts: Audio research cross-referenced via Unsolved Mysteries ("Murder in Boystown", June 2022) and Jensen & Holes: The Murder Squad (May 2021).
• ​LGBTQ+ Publications: Historical case tracking, cultural context, and community impact sourced from the Windy City Times and The Advocate (2004–Present).

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This week, we are stepping away from the grim and the gruesome to explore one of the most bizarre, darkly comedic true crime stories in history.

​Meet Steven Jay Russell, the "King Con." 

He didn't use shivs, explosives, or violence to beat the Texas justice system. 

Armed with a 163 IQ and weaponized confidence, Steven conned his way into a corporate CFO position, embezzled $800,000 to fund a luxurious lifestyle for the man he loved, and then proceeded to walk out of prison four separate times using nothing but a walkie-talkie, a telephone, a typewriter, and a box of green highlighters. 

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• ​Patreon: Running this show takes a lot of time and resources. If you want to help cover the production expenses and keep the neon lights on, join the community over on Patreon. 
• ​Rate & Review: If you are enjoying the show or currently binging your way through the 37-episode back catalog, please take two seconds to drop a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It feeds the algorithm and is the absolute best free way to support the podcast.
• ​Connect: Follow Homocidal Tendency on Instagram and Bluesky for episode visual assets, behind-the-scenes audio design blueprints, and #TeaserThursday updates.

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​Sources & Further Reading

• ​I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks by Steve McVicker – The definitive investigative book on Steven Jay Russell’s life, crimes, and escapes (and the basis for the 2009 film).
• ​The Houston Chronicle (Archives: 1996–1998) – Contemporary local reporting on the North American Medical Management embezzlement and the resulting Texas manhunts.
• ​Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) – Public offender data and parole review records documenting his initial 144-year sentence, his time in solitary confinement at the Allan B. Polunsky Unit, and his subsequent July 2024 parole release.
• ​On the Run (Discovery Channel / Investigation Discovery) – Televised documentary featuring interviews with the actual Texas authorities and U.S. Marshals who were tasked with hunting down the "bogus corpse."

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The Freeway Killer Saga Part 3 : Randy Kraft " The Scorecard Killer "

The 1970s Southern California hitchhiking culture met its ultimate predator not in a windowless van, but in a pristine Toyota Celica. 

In the grand finale of our massive 3-part Freeway Killer Saga, we expose the most sophisticated and deadly of the three phantoms: Randy Steven Kraft.
​

While law enforcement was entirely consumed by the media panics surrounding Patrick Kearney and William Bonin, Kraft a highly affluent computer programmer used their chaos as a brilliant smokescreen. 

This episode decodes the infamous yellow legal pad found hidden in his trunk containing 61 cryptic entries. 

We explore his terrifying use of chemical warfare to paralyze young Marines, the infuriating 1975 near-miss where the Long Beach Police Department let him walk free, the extreme escalation of his sadism in 1978, and the forensic footprint evidence proving he had an accomplice, Jeff Graves. 

Finally, we strip away the true crime "mastermind" myth and examine how these three predators single-handedly forced the modern "Stranger Danger" reality onto American culture.

​Randy Kraft’s handwritten ledger contained 61 cryptic entries. Below are the specific young men whose cases we break down in today's narrative, in the chronological order they were taken from us.

​Wayne Joseph Dukette (30) - Sept 1971 (Scorecard Entry: "Stable") - The genesis of the scorecard.

​Edward Daniel Moore (20) - Dec 1972 (Scorecard Entry: "EDM")

​Kevin Clark Bailey (17) - Apr 1973

 (Scorecard Entry: "Airplane Hill")

​Vincent Cruz Mestas (23) - Dec 1973 (Scorecard Entry: "Vince M")
​

Oral Stuart, Jr. (18) - Nov 1974 (Scorecard Entry: "Iowa") - The targeting of young Marines begins.

​David Michael Sandt (30) - Jan 1975 (Scorecard Entry: "Hari Kari") - The theatrical escalation.

​Keith Daven Crotwell (19) - Mar 1975 (Scorecard Entry: "Parking Lot") - The Long Beach PD near-miss.

​Roland Young (23) - Jun 1978 (Scorecard Entry: "Jail Out") - The brazen freeway dumps begin.

​Michael Inderbieten (21) - Nov 1978 - The peak of sadism and extreme physical trauma.

​Donnie Harold Crisel (20) - Jun 1979 (Scorecard Entry: "Marine Drunk Overnight Shorts") - Shoved from the Celica onto the 405 freeway.

​Terry Lee Gambrel (25) - May 14, 1983 - Discovered by CHP during the 1:10 AM traffic stop.

​Other Known Identified Victims of Randy Kraft

​Kraft was officially convicted of 16 counts of first-degree murder, but dozens more were positively linked to his ledger. We speak their names to ensure they are never forgotten.

​John William Leras (17) - Jan 1975 (Scorecard Entry: "Skates")

​Craig Jon Townsend (18) - 1975

​Mark Howard Hall (22) - Jan 1976 (Scorecard Entry: "New Year's Eve")
​

Paul Joseph Fuchs (19) - Dec 1976 (Scorecard Entry: "Expletive Deleted")
​

Richard Robert Avila (16) - Jul 1978 (Scorecard Entry: "Deodorant")

​Scott Michael Hughes (18) - Apr 1979 (Scorecard Entry: "Euclid")

​Mark Alan Marsh (19) - Feb 1980 (Scorecard Entry: "Marine Head BP")

​Raymond Davis (13) - Jun 1980 (Scorecard Entry: "Dog")

​Robert Wyatt Loggins (19) - Sep 1980 (Scorecard Entry: "MC HB Tattoo")
​

Michael Duane Cluck (18) - Apr 1981 (Scorecard Entry: "Portland Blood")

​Dennis Patrick Alt (20) & Christopher Schoenborn (20) - Dec 1982 (Scorecard Entry: "GR 2")

​Eric Herbert Church (21) - Jan 1983 (Scorecard Entry: "Dump Truck")

​Geoffrey Nelson (18) & Rodger DeVaul (20) - Feb 1983 (Scorecard Entry: "2 in 1 Beach")

​(Many other young men from the ledger remain unidentified)
​

Sources & Research

​State of California v. Randy Steven Kraft: Official court transcripts, evidentiary exhibits (including the decoded scorecard entries), and sentencing documents.

​California Highway Patrol (CHP) Arrest Records: The May 14, 1983, incident report by Officer Michael Wigginton.
​Long Beach Police Department / Orange County Sheriff’s Department Archives: Case files detailing the overlapping timelines, the 1975 LBPD interview where Kraft walked free, and the footprint/DNA evidence pointing to Jeff Graves.

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The Freeway Killer Saga - Part 2  William Bonin

​In Part 2 of our Freeway Killer Saga, we track the terrifying escalation of William Bonin. 

We explore how a catastrophic failure by a state hospital and a backlogged court system allowed him to transform a pale green Ford Econoline van into a mobile, soundproof slaughterhouse.

But Bonin wasn't hunting alone. We dive into the dark psychology of the drifters and occultists he recruited to help overpower his victims and detail the poetic justice of how those exact accomplices ultimately sent him to the execution chamber.

​Known Victims of William Bonin 

 ​William Bonin was convicted of 14 murders in Los Angeles County and 4 in Orange County, though he is suspected of claiming the lives of at least 21 young men and boys in a span of just 13 months. 

Below is the comprehensive list of his known victims. We speak their names to ensure they are remembered as more than just statistics in this tragic era.

• ​Thomas Lundgren (13) - May 28, 1979
• ​Mark Shelton (16) - August 4, 1979
• ​Marcus Grabs (17) - August 5, 1979
• ​Donald Hyden (15) - August 27, 1979
• ​David Murillo (17) - September 9, 1979
• ​Dennis Frank Fox (17) - November 2, 1979
• ​Charles Miranda (14) - February 3, 1980
• ​James Macabepe (12) - February 3, 1980
• ​Glenn Barker (14) - March 21, 1980
• ​Steven Wood (16) - April 10, 1980
• ​Darin Lee Kendrick (19) - April 29, 1980
• ​John King (15)
• ​Richard K. Bledsoe (14)
• ​Michael W. McDonald (16)
• ​William Rayper (19)
• ​Harry Byers (15)
• ​Steven Wells (16)
• ​Russell Rugh (15)
• ​Ronald Gatlin (18)
• ​Lawrence "Larry" Jones (14)
• ​Sean King (14)
​

Sources & Research
 

• ​State of California v. William George Bonin: Official court transcripts, plea bargain documentation for accomplices (Pugh, Munro, Miley), and execution records from San Quentin State Prison.
• ​Without Sanctuaries: The William Bonin Story – Case files and chronological tracking of the 1979-1980 murder spree.
• ​Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) & Hollywood Division Archives: Incident reports detailing the June 1980 arrest in the alleyway and the subsequent confessions of Vernon Butts.
• ​California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR): Records detailing the historic February 1996 lethal injection of William Bonin.
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Support & Follow Homocidal Tendency

 ​If this episode kept you checking your locks, take a second to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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The Freeway Killer Saga - Part 1 

Patrick Kearney " The Trash Bag Killer "

Southern California in the 1970s was a sun-drenched paradise, but its massive, sprawling freeway system became the ultimate hunting ground for a terrifying killer. 

In Part 1 of our exclusive 3-part Freeway Killer Saga, Matt dives deep into the chilling mind and methodical crimes of Patrick Kearney the pioneer of the California highway panic. 

​Known as the "Trash Bag Killer," 

Kearney used his genius-level IQ, his unassuming appearance, and his background as an aerospace engineer to turn the interstates into an assembly line of death. 

We explore Kearney’s early life, his psychological profile as an "inadequate psychopath," his double life with partner David Hill, and the fatal mistake in 1977 that finally brought his horrific twelve-year reign to an end. 

​Listen now to understand how the golden era of hitchhiking became a delivery system for a nightmare.

 ​Known Victims of Patrick Kearney
​Patrick Kearney officially pled guilty to 21 counts of murder to avoid the death penalty, though he confessed to 28 and later claimed his victim count was as high as 43. Below are the names of his known, identified victims. We speak their names to ensure they are remembered as more than just a statistic.

• ​Spring 1962: "Unknown" 1 (Age 19)
• ​1962: "Unknown" 2 (Cousin of "Unknown" 1, Age 16)
• ​Unknown Date: "Mike" (Age 18)
• ​December 1968: "George"
• ​June 26, 1971: John Demchik (Age 13)
• ​September 22, 1973: James Fletcher Barwick (Age 17)
• ​August 24, 1974: Ronald Dean Smith Jr. (Age 5)
• ​April 13, 1975: Albert Rivera (Age 21)
• ​October 31, 1975: Larry Gene Walters (Age 20)
• ​March 1, 1976: Kenneth Eugene Buchanan (Age 17)
• ​March 21, 1976: Oliver Peter Molitor (Age 13)
• ​April 18, 1976: Larry Armendariz (Age 15)
• ​June 11, 1976: Michael Craig McGhee (Age 13)
• ​June 20, 1976: John Woods (Age 23)
• ​August 1976: Larry Espy (Age 17)
• ​August 1976: Wilfrid Lawrence Faherty (Age 20)
• ​August 1976: Randall Lawrence Moore (Age 16)
• ​September 15, 1976: Timothy Brian Ingham (Age 19)
• ​Fall 1976: Robert William Benniefiel (Age 17)
• ​Fall 1976: David Allen (Age 27)
• ​October 5, 1976: Mark Andrew Orach (Age 20)
• ​January 1977: Nicolas Hernandez-Jimenez (Age 28)
• ​February 26, 1977: Arturo Ramos Marquez (Age 24)
• ​March 13, 1977: John Otis LaMay (Age 17)
• ​April 6, 1977: Merle "Hondo" Chance (Age 8)

 • ​(Multiple victims remain unidentified)
 

​Sources & Research
• ​Los Angeles Times Archival Articles (1977–1978): Coverage of the "Trash Bag Murders," the multi-county task force, and Patrick Kearney's eventual surrender in Riverside County.
• ​Riverside County Superior Court Records: The confession and plea deal of Patrick Wayne Kearney.
• ​The Trash Bag Murderer by Rose G. Mandelsberg.
• ​Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters by Peter Vronsky (Analysis of the "inadequate psychopath" profile).
• ​FBI Behavioral Science Unit: Historical analysis of M.O., necrophilia, and geographic profiling related to the California highway murders.
​

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​If you grew up in the eighties, you know exactly what a bootleg VHS tape looks like. 

The tracking is warped, the shadows are pitch black, and the audio sounds completely demonic. 

Well, in 1987, Scotland Yard intercepted one of these heavily degraded tapes and immediately launched a multimillion-pound tactical manhunt. 

Why? Because they were dead certain they had just uncovered a horrific underground snuff film.

​It is one of the wildest, most embarrassing police screw-ups in British history, and the legal fallout is absolutely infuriating.

​I just dropped a full, deep-dive palate cleanser episode on this exact case, but it is available exclusively over on our brand-new Patreon. 

​Head over to the Patreon, grab your headphones, and I'll see you there.

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