Panic True Queer Crime

A Serial Killer in the Suburbs of Paris

The first victim was spotted by a passerby on August 13, 2025, as officials fished the body out of the Seine in a suburb of Paris near a known gay cruising spot. Divers searching the area found another body, then another, then another. As investigators search for answers and other possible victims, speculation swirls about the motive for the murders.

The Murder of Ryan Godbey: A Family Seeks Justice

Ryan Godbey, a beloved member of Canton's LGBTQ+ community, whose a disappearance and murder shocked the Canton, Ohio area in 2025. The arrest and charging of the ex-boyfriends answered some questions, leaving others wide open.

If you or anyone you know is the subject of violence, please use the resources below.

The Brutal Murder of Jacob Zieben-Hood?

On August 1, 2025, 34-year-old Jacob Zieben-Hood was found stabbed to death in the Harlem apartment he shared with his husband, Donald Zieben-Hood. Behind their social media image of happiness was a history of domestic violence, protective orders, and escalating threats.

From alleged strangulation in February to a knife threat in June, the abuse intensified. On July 31, Jacob called his father during another violent altercation. Hours later, he was dead. Donald was found with self-inflicted wounds and arrested for violating a protective order.

Christopher Hunnisett: Vicar's Murderer Freed to Kill Again

When the dismembered body of a Reverend Glazebrook was found, his lodger, Christopher Hunnisett, was arrested and put on trial, and found guilty. Acquitted of the vicar's murder, Hunnisett went on a crusade to kill as many "pedos" as he could. Studying investigative techniques, Hunnisett followed a tip to 57-year-old Peter Bick, whom he assumed was an abuser. Pretending to be a date, Hunnisett went to Bick's flat and murdered him.

The details of this case are unusual, but in some ways they align with what I've been exploring in the next episode, which is the origins and legacy of the provocation defense.

A State of Emergency. Three trans women of color, three cities, all lost to unsolved murderous violence.

In Boston, Rita Hester's 1998 murder inspired the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Decades later, her name lives on with a dedicated green space, but justice was never served.

Boston Police Department's Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470. You can also submit information anonymously by calling the Boston Police CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS (8477) or by texting the word "TIP" to CRIME (27463).

In Minneapolis, Ra'Lasia Wright, a beloved mentor, was found shot outside a home in 2024. Her loved ones still seek answers, and her case remains open.

If you have information regarding the murder of Ra'Lasia Wright in Minneapolis, you can contact the police through several channels:

Minneapolis Police Department tipline:

Email tips to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at 612-673-5845.

In Detroit, Karmin Wells, cherished in the ballroom scene, was killed during what police call a setup date in 2025. Her killer hasn't been caught.

CrimeStoppers (anonymous tips): Call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit information online at CrimeStoppersMN.org.

Tips leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a reward

Detroit Police Dept: 313‑596‑2212

Crime Stoppers: 1‑800‑SPEAK‑UP

Their lives and their senseless murders deserve justice.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Phone: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Text: Text "START" to 88788

Live Chat & Information: thehotline.org

Services are available 24/7, confidential, and support all individuals regardless of identity or background.

If you or someone you know is in danger, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Additional Inclusive National and LGBTQ+-Specific Resources

The Trevor Project

Phone: 866-488-7386

Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13–24.

LGBT National Hotline

Phone: 888-843-4564

Confidential peer support, information, and resources for the LGBTQ+ community.

Trans Lifeline

Phone: 877-565-8860

Peer support and crisis intervention for trans and non-binary individuals.

NYC Anti-Violence Project

Phone: 212-714-1141 (24/7)

Bilingual support for those affected by violence in the LGBTQ+ and HIV+ communities.

loveisrespect (National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline)

Phone: 1-866-331-9474, Text "LOVEIS" to 22522, or chat on loveisrespect.org

Specifically for youth and young adults, including LGBTQ+.

DomesticShelters.org

Searchable directory covering shelters and services with LGBTQ+-inclusive filters.

International and Specialized Resources

Thank you, Mystic Magazine Global Resource Guide

https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/domestic-violence-resource-guide/

Paul Carlile and William Sakosky

On November 5, 1982, Paul Carlile and William Sakosky checked into a room at the gay Florida resort Parliament House, only one of them would leave.

Alana Miccolis and Megha Saluja

Alana Miccolis and Megha Saluja agreed to spend a weekend at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando, Florida. No one could have imagined how the trail of texts would lead detectives to a volatile trail of obsession, intimate partner violence, and death.

Timothy Charles Lee

On the evening of November 2, 1985, 23-year-old fashion design student Timothy Charles Lee fell asleep on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train while traveling home after work in San Francisco. Eleven hours later, he was found hanging from a tree in a vacant lot near the Concord BART station. Was he targeted and killed, or did he choose that night to end his life?

Jonathan Joss

By the time Jonathan Joss and Tristan Kern de Gonzales were married on Valentine's Day, February 2025, they had been through quite a lot. In January of 2025, the couple's home burned to the ground, and a few months later, Joss would be shot to death in front of his husband. Was the killing an incident of hate?

Ryan Godbey

Ryan Godbey, a beloved member of Canton's LGBTQ+ community, whose disappearance and tragic murder shocked the Canton, Ohio area in 2025. The arrest and charging of the ex-boyfriends answered some questions, leaving others wide open.

Karmin Wells, Rita Hester, and Ra'Lasia Wright

Three trans women of color, three cities, all lost to unsolved murderous violence.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE National Domestic Violence Hotline Phone: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Text: Text "START" to 88788 Live Chat & Information: thehotline.org Services are available 24/7, confidential, and support all individuals regardless of identity or background.

If you or someone you know is in danger, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Additional Inclusive National and LGBTQ+-Specific Resources The Trevor Project Phone: 866-488-7386 Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13–24.

LGBT National Hotline Phone: 888-843-4564 Confidential peer support, information, and resources for the LGBTQ+ community.

Trans Lifeline Phone: 877-565-8860 Peer support and crisis intervention for trans and non-binary individuals. NYC Anti-Violence Project Phone: 212-714-1141 (24/7) Bilingual support for those affected by violence in the LGBTQ+ and HIV+ communities.

Loveisrespect (National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline) Phone: 1-866-331-9474, Text "LOVEIS" to 22522, or chat on loveisrespect.org.

Specifically for youth and young adults, including LGBTQ+.

DomesticShelters.org Searchable directory covering shelters and services with LGBTQ+-inclusive filters. International and Specialized Resources Thank you, Mystic Magazine Global Resource Guide https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/domestic-violence-resource-guide/

Panic Queer True Crime, uncovering hidden queer history through true crime. The channel covers crimes in two categories: violence fueled by hate and intimate partner violence. In addition, we cover stories of LGBTQ+ folks targeted by extortion, arrest, and other forms of life-altering violence that don't result in murder. These stories deserve our loving attention because sometimes being queer can be murder.

The story of Ian McLoughlin's murder spree contains mentions of crimes against teenagers and children. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. This content is intended for educational purposes only and aims to examine flaws in the justice system. It is not suitable for viewers under 18.

Please prioritize your mental health and well-being. Ian McLoughlin - a serial killer who exploited the UK's controversial "provocation defense" to escape murder charges and continue killing for decades.

In 1983, McLoughlin brutally murdered Len Delgatty but convinced a jury he was "provoked" by alleged audio recordings, receiving just 5 years for manslaughter instead of life for murder.

This legal loophole - similar to the US "gay panic defense" - allowed prejudice against LGBTQ+ victims to influence courtroom decisions. Released early as a "model prisoner," McLoughlin killed again in 1990, murdering Peter Halls using the same defense strategy. F

inally sentenced to life in 1992, he was inexplicably granted temporary release in 2013, leading to the senseless murder of a man coming to the aid of his elder neighbor. A fair amount of attention has been paid to the use of the gay/trans panic defense in the USA, but not quite enough attention has been paid to the ravages of the Provocation Defense before it was ended in the UK.

I will do another story about murders committed under the Provocation Defense in the next episode. The victims mentioned in that episode have rarely been discussed in print or on social media. These are difficult but I think important stories to tell.

If you'd like to watch this episode, join Panic on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/8CcqvF0osGQ

Please subscribe and share. Thanks.

To belatedly celebrate Pride, this special month-long podcast series highlights four extraordinary figures—some queer, some allied—whose lives and work shaped LGBTQ+ history in ways both bold and quietly revolutionary.

We begin with the mysterious, evocative collaboration between African American model Thomas McKeller and famed artist John Singer Sargent. Their decade-long connection, hidden in Sargent's private collection, speaks volumes about art, desire, and survival in the shadows.

Next, we honor Lorraine Hansberry—a trailblazing playwright, civil rights activist, and quiet radical. Though best known for A Raisin in the Sun, her life was filled with passion for justice, intellectual rigor, and unspoken queerness.

We then dive into the wild, theatrical worlds of Charles Ludlam and Ethyl Eichelberger—two avant-garde legends who redefined queer storytelling with flamboyance, wit, and fearless creativity.

Finally, we celebrate Dr. Evelyn Hooker, a straight ally whose groundbreaking 1950s research challenged the psychiatric establishment and helped declassify homosexuality as a mental illness. Her work—alongside activist pressure—paved the way for a seismic shift in how queerness was understood and treated.

It's never too late for an extra dose of Pride.

Two corrections: The pronunciation of Beaulieu is closer to "B-you-ly" or BYOO-lee. In the episode, I mention that the age of consent was 16. That was the age of consent for heterosexuals only. Homosexuality was illegal across all ages until a minor reform in 1967.

The Sexual Offences Act 1967 legalized homosexual acts between two men over 21 in private. This did not apply to the armed forces or the merchant navy. Lesbian acts were never criminalized, so there was no legal age of consent.

In the spring of 1953, four men, including a British lord and two RAF officers, would become the focus of a national homosexual sex scandal—one that would destroy reputations, shock the country, and ultimately help change the law.

From the moment I read about this scandal many years ago, I was fascinated. As an American, I have to confess, I cannot fully understand the British class situation. It seems that Lord Montagu's penchant for surrounding himself with "commoners" seemed to alarm those in his social strata to such a degree that open season was declared on him and any of the lower orders around him.

Montagu and Peter Wildeblood were from similar backgrounds, but when Wildeblood and his RAF boyfriend spent the weekend at Montague's estate, the event presented the perfect opportunity to come down hard on Montagu.

The result was something of a show trial with a preordained conclusion. That level of invasion of privacy led to a change in the law.

Several of these stories and their victims are part of the anti-queer wave of legislation put in place by the UK conservative government seeking to outlaw homosexuality. As the anti-queer rhetoric rose, so did the violence against the LGBTQ+ community.

The de Gruchy case was the first time the mainstream press began to use the term "queer-bashing" to describe the murderous level of hate crimes. Before this, the tone was unmistakably mock and/or cruel, but the standard would not hold.

In 1969, Michael de Gruchy was attacked and beaten to death by a teen gang trolling a gay cruising spot in Wimbledon, England. In 1972, Leonard Bestwick was stabbed and left to die after an attempted robbery by two young men who "Set out to roll a queer." The murder of Mr. Bestwick highlights the capriciousness of hate. Bestwick and his friend were just out, as many others were having a drink, and for this, he was brutally murdered. If his friend had gone into the bathroom first, he might have met the same terrible fate.

On the evening of September 18, 1989, 40, Christoph Schliack, a German immigrant living in the UK for more than 20 years, was murdered in his Shepherd's Bush, London flat. Kenneth Williams, the 20-something who killed him, managed to flee the city of London for Ireland. Mr. Schliack had attended Leeds University, studying Chinese. He was also a lawyer, but did not practice at the bar for unclear reasons.

On August 30, 1987, Richard Lynn Earnest went to his estranged wife's home, where he removed his wife's and her lover's shoes from the car, replacing them with his carpentry tools. Before driving off, he left two notes, one for his son and the other for his wife. A day later, Richard Earnest would be dead. Mr. Earnest left behind a son and a family who loved him.

On Monday, June 9, 2008, 37, Jeremy Waggoner, a Royal Oak, Michigan hairdresser, was last seen leaving a Detroit, Michigan bar getting into his SUV with a man identified as Rich. When he didn't return home, his partner of seven years called the police, reporting Waggoner missing.

On Monday, March 31, 2025, 31, Kaitoria "Kai" Bankz and 27, Kelmen Merrell King made arrangements to hook up in Autaugaville, Alabama, around 11:40 pm. When they did meet, King and an accomplice attempted to carjack Bankz and her brother, resulting in the death of Bankz.

Watch any of these stories of any of the cases covered on the podcast, check out and subscribe to the YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/@queerpanic

One of the reasons I wanted to cover the murders of actor, Michael Boone, and hotel porter William Dalziel is that, like me, some of you will be surprised at when they happened. As it turns out, the crackdown on gay men using indecency laws meant gay men were arrested, and the signal to the homophobes was that it was hunting season. In 1990, the lives of lesbians and gays, not to mention trans and gender nonconforming people, were under assault. Section 28, a cynical bit of anti-gay legislation hung a shadow over the well-being of queer folks. In researching these cases, one of the sad realities is that there are men and women whose lives were brutally ended, and no one will ever know who killed them. By listening and sharing these stories, you are joining me and a growing group of people who know a little bit more than you did before, and you're sharing these stories, and for that, I am grateful.

When I started telling these stories, I understood the organized efforts to shame homosexuality out of existence. What I didn't expect was the level of criminality that would grow out of the demonizing of LGBTQ+ people. In the 1960s, Chicago police officer John J. Pyne began to organize a group of criminals and con men in an extortion ring that would go on to scam more than 1,000 men out of a million dollars across the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The FBI called the Chicken and the Bull extortion scheme the largest scheme of its kind up to that time. It is, in fact, the largest organized extortion of gay men ever. It is also another example of the depths and cold brutality of homophobia unchecked. Here's the link to the fantastic article William McGown wrote for Slate. The article has become one of the few references to this scandal.

To watch this episode:

https://youtu.be/qSvPhDqNXKU

William McGowan's 2012 article in Slate:

https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/07/the-chickens-and-the-bulls-the-rise-and-incredible-fall-of-a-vicious-extortion-ring-that-preyed-on-prominent-gay-men-in-the-1960s.html

In my ongoing exploration of the history of homophobia in life and the law, I've been researching the trends, and I do mean trends, of attacks fueled by the targeting of mostly gay men.

From the late 1950s through the 1970s in the United States, "Rolling a Queer" became such an epidemic that both Democrats and Republicans came together to introduce legislation that would create some minor protections for gays and lesbians. It failed, of course, and the attacks continued at pace.

This crime wave helps to explain why the "Homosexual Panic Defense" began to be used in the 1960s in courtrooms across the country. A young man defending himself from the advances of a predatory homosexual is much more defendable than a defendant targeting gay men for fun and profit.

I have many more of these stories from the 1950s through the 1970s to share.

Please subscribe.

In this week's episode:

Sam Nordquist left home to visit his online girlfriend. When his mother and other family members couldn't get ahold of him, they begged authorities to help him, but sadly, help came too late.

In September 2024, Zsolt Zsolyomi disabled his leg monitor and disappeared onto the north Florida Island of Miami Beach and Little Havana using an alias to court, rob, batter, and then murder two older men with disabilities. Would the police stop him before he could kill again?

In 1973, the Long Beach murder of a World War II veteran and beloved school teacher, Hollis Voas, exposed the escalating cycle of rolling a queer that spiked during the 1960s and 1970s in the U.S. Law enforcement quickly tracked down the suspects Don James Myers and Kenneth Evans, after discovering the victim tied to his blood-soaked bedroom. Thirty-nine pieces of evidence, a stolen Cadillac, and a childhood friend would lead police to the perpetrators a few hours after the murder. I saw this 1973 news item so quietly tucked away in a newspaper that I knew I had to share his story. Thanks to one of Mr. Voas' relatives for sharing a picture of him for the YouTube coverage.

The 1953 murder of bartender Walter Thalen by a drifter who wandered into the bar where Thalen worked at the end of a night of drinking would have a devasting impact far and wide.

In March of 2025, Buffalo, New York, Allentown was rocked by the double murder of two beloved men. Mickey Harmon and Jordan Celotto contributed to their community in art and activism, and they were snatched away senselessly and violently.

49, California Fire Captain Rebecca Marodi and 53, Yolanda Olejniczak-Marodi, began dating in 2018, marrying in 2022. By February 2025, Marodi was ready to end what friends called a controlling and isolating marriage, but she would never get the chance. This wasn't the first time Yolanda Olejniczak-Marodi was involved in a murder.

Reports of intimate partner violence among lesbians are the most underreported. If you or anyone you know needs help, use the resources below.

Finally, an update on cases we've covered on the channel and a cold case.

I hope you stay with me as I continue to share more of these hidden stories of lives lived and snuffed out. They deserve our loving attention.

If you'd like to watch any of these episodes, you watch them all at:

https://www.youtube.com/@panicqueertruecrime

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233

Online live chat: thehotline.org

If you or someone you know is in danger, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Thanks to Mystic Magazine for the global resource guide, one of the first to be compiled.

https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/domestic-violence-resource-guide/

Please subscribe to the podcast and YouTube Channel.

The Spree Killer, the Drifter, the Lover, and Stranger DangerThe Spree Killer, the Drifter, the Lover, and Stranger Danger

In my ongoing exploration of the history of homophobia in life and the law, I've been researching the trends, and I do mean trends, of attacks fueled by the targeting of LGBTQ+ folks. one of the things that's begun surface is how an aspect of the use of the homosexual panic defense that's not written about very often.

From the late 1950s through the 1970s in the United States "Rolling a Queer" became such an epidemic that both Democrats and Republicans came together to introduce legislation that would create some minor protections for gay, mostly male, folks. It failed, of course, and the attacks continued at pace. 

This crime wave helps to further explain why the "Homosexual Panic Defense" began to be used in the 1960s. A young man defending himself from the advances of a predatory homosexual is much more empathetic than the state claiming a defendant targeted a gay man for profit. 

I have many more of these stories and their victims to come. In the meantime...

 In this week's episode:

 Sam Nordquist left home to visit his online girlfriend. When his mother and other family members couldn't get ahold of him, they begged authorities to help him, but sadly, help came too late. 

 In September 2024, Zsolt Zsolyomi disabled his leg monitor and disappeared onto the north Florida Island of Miami Beach and Little Havana using an alias to court, rob, batter, and then murder two older men with disabilities. Would the police stop him before he could kill again?

 The 1953 murder of bartender Walter Thalen by a drifter who wandered into the bar where Thalen worked the aftermath of a night of drinking would have a devasting impact far and wide. 

 In March of 2025, Buffalo's Allentown was rocked by the double murder of two beloved men. Mickey Harmon and Jordan Celotto contributed to their community in art and activism, and they were snatched away senselessly and violently. 

 I saw this news item about the 1973 murder of a junior high school teacher who had served in the Air Force in World War Two so quietly tucked away that I knew I had to share his story. 

 I hope you stay with me as I continue to share more of these hidden stories of lives lived and snuffed out. They deserve our loving attention.

 If you'd like to watch any of these episodes, you watch them all at: 

 Please subscribe to the podcast.