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Survivors Identified the Killer — Then Refused to Speak
Survivors Identified the Killer — Then Refused to Speak
Six men were murdered in San Francisco between 1974 and 1975, each found in or near gay cruising areas, stabbed to death. Despite multiple survivors identifying the same suspect, the community's fear and silence allowed the killer to evade justice for decades. What made witnesses so afraid to speak out?
In this episode, we delve into the chilling case of "The Doodler," a serial killer who preyed on gay men in San Francisco. We explore the lives of the victims, the investigative challenges, and the lasting impact of a killer who used charm and a sketchbook to lure his targets.
Case: The Doodler Murders
Location: San Francisco, California
Period: January 1974 - December 1975
Victims: Gerald Kavanaugh, Harold Goldberg, Frederick Kapp, Jay, and two unidentified men
Detectives: Inspectors Guilford and Sanders, Sergeant Dan Cunningham
- Gerald Kavanaugh, a 50-year-old WWII veteran, was found with 17 stab wounds on a San Francisco beach on January 27, 1974.
- Harold Goldberg, a 66-year-old mariner, was discovered partially mummified near Lincoln Park Golf Course on June 4, 1975.
- Frederick Kapp, an artist and nurse, saved four Marines in Vietnam before his own murder.
- Jay's murder led to a psychotic break in his sister, resulting in their mother's death and another sister's severe injury.
- The killer was described as young, well-built, charming, and carrying a sketchbook, frequenting San Francisco's gay neighborhood.
To listen ad-free and access premium episodes, start your 30-day free trial at obomedia.com
OBOMEDIA presents true crime storiesa true crime podcast built on real cases.
Every true crime story in our crime files follows the crime investigation from the missing person report to the trial: investigators and police building a murder case, a police investigation gone cold, justice for the victim and those who survived.
We open the unsolved murder, the cold case reopened decades later, the mysterious death, the disappearance, the serial killer, the family murder, the murder mystery; the missing persons a missing woman, a missing girl, a missing man found dead and the missing and murdered.
From the infamous case to the unsolved case, from classic true crime to dark true crime and disturbing true crime: true crime reports, real crime stories, real murder cases, true murder stories and unsolved mysteries one true crime case at a time, from the OBOMEDIA true crime vault.
© 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text and related materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing and business inquirie
Six men were murdered in San Francisco between 1974 and 1975, each found in or near gay cruising areas, stabbed to death. Despite multiple survivors identifying the same suspect, the community's fear and silence allowed the killer to evade justice for decades. What made witnesses so afraid to speak out?
In this episode, we delve into the chilling case of "The Doodler," a serial killer who preyed on gay men in San Francisco. We explore the lives of the victims, the investigative challenges, and the lasting impact of a killer who used charm and a sketchbook to lure his targets.
Case: The Doodler Murders
Location: San Francisco, California
Period: January 1974 - December 1975
Victims: Gerald Kavanaugh, Harold Goldberg, Frederick Kapp, Jay, and two unidentified men
Detectives: Inspectors Guilford and Sanders, Sergeant Dan Cunningham
- Gerald Kavanaugh, a 50-year-old WWII veteran, was found with 17 stab wounds on a San Francisco beach on January 27, 1974.
- Harold Goldberg, a 66-year-old mariner, was discovered partially mummified near Lincoln Park Golf Course on June 4, 1975.
- Frederick Kapp, an artist and nurse, saved four Marines in Vietnam before his own murder.
- Jay's murder led to a psychotic break in his sister, resulting in their mother's death and another sister's severe injury.
- The killer was described as young, well-built, charming, and carrying a sketchbook, frequenting San Francisco's gay neighborhood.
To listen ad-free and access premium episodes, start your 30-day free trial at obomedia.com
OBOMEDIA presents true crime storiesa true crime podcast built on real cases.
Every true crime story in our crime files follows the crime investigation from the missing person report to the trial: investigators and police building a murder case, a police investigation gone cold, justice for the victim and those who survived.
We open the unsolved murder, the cold case reopened decades later, the mysterious death, the disappearance, the serial killer, the family murder, the murder mystery; the missing persons a missing woman, a missing girl, a missing man found dead and the missing and murdered.
From the infamous case to the unsolved case, from classic true crime to dark true crime and disturbing true crime: true crime reports, real crime stories, real murder cases, true murder stories and unsolved mysteries one true crime case at a time, from the OBOMEDIA true crime vault.
© 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text and related materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing and business inquirie
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By Creator at ObomediaSurvivors Identified the Killer — Then Refused to Speak
Six men were murdered in San Francisco between 1974 and 1975, each found in or near gay cruising areas, stabbed to death. Despite multiple survivors identifying the same suspect, the community's fear and silence allowed the killer to evade justice for decades. What made witnesses so afraid to speak out?
In this episode, we delve into the chilling case of "The Doodler," a serial killer who preyed on gay men in San Francisco. We explore the lives of the victims, the investigative challenges, and the lasting impact of a killer who used charm and a sketchbook to lure his targets.
Case: The Doodler Murders
Location: San Francisco, California
Period: January 1974 - December 1975
Victims: Gerald Kavanaugh, Harold Goldberg, Frederick Kapp, Jay, and two unidentified men
Detectives: Inspectors Guilford and Sanders, Sergeant Dan Cunningham
- Gerald Kavanaugh, a 50-year-old WWII veteran, was found with 17 stab wounds on a San Francisco beach on January 27, 1974.
- Harold Goldberg, a 66-year-old mariner, was discovered partially mummified near Lincoln Park Golf Course on June 4, 1975.
- Frederick Kapp, an artist and nurse, saved four Marines in Vietnam before his own murder.
- Jay's murder led to a psychotic break in his sister, resulting in their mother's death and another sister's severe injury.
- The killer was described as young, well-built, charming, and carrying a sketchbook, frequenting San Francisco's gay neighborhood.
To listen ad-free and access premium episodes, start your 30-day free trial at obomedia.com
OBOMEDIA presents true crime storiesa true crime podcast built on real cases.
Every true crime story in our crime files follows the crime investigation from the missing person report to the trial: investigators and police building a murder case, a police investigation gone cold, justice for the victim and those who survived.
We open the unsolved murder, the cold case reopened decades later, the mysterious death, the disappearance, the serial killer, the family murder, the murder mystery; the missing persons a missing woman, a missing girl, a missing man found dead and the missing and murdered.
From the infamous case to the unsolved case, from classic true crime to dark true crime and disturbing true crime: true crime reports, real crime stories, real murder cases, true murder stories and unsolved mysteries one true crime case at a time, from the OBOMEDIA true crime vault.
© 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text and related materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing and business inquirie
Six men were murdered in San Francisco between 1974 and 1975, each found in or near gay cruising areas, stabbed to death. Despite multiple survivors identifying the same suspect, the community's fear and silence allowed the killer to evade justice for decades. What made witnesses so afraid to speak out?
In this episode, we delve into the chilling case of "The Doodler," a serial killer who preyed on gay men in San Francisco. We explore the lives of the victims, the investigative challenges, and the lasting impact of a killer who used charm and a sketchbook to lure his targets.
Case: The Doodler Murders
Location: San Francisco, California
Period: January 1974 - December 1975
Victims: Gerald Kavanaugh, Harold Goldberg, Frederick Kapp, Jay, and two unidentified men
Detectives: Inspectors Guilford and Sanders, Sergeant Dan Cunningham
- Gerald Kavanaugh, a 50-year-old WWII veteran, was found with 17 stab wounds on a San Francisco beach on January 27, 1974.
- Harold Goldberg, a 66-year-old mariner, was discovered partially mummified near Lincoln Park Golf Course on June 4, 1975.
- Frederick Kapp, an artist and nurse, saved four Marines in Vietnam before his own murder.
- Jay's murder led to a psychotic break in his sister, resulting in their mother's death and another sister's severe injury.
- The killer was described as young, well-built, charming, and carrying a sketchbook, frequenting San Francisco's gay neighborhood.
To listen ad-free and access premium episodes, start your 30-day free trial at obomedia.com
OBOMEDIA presents true crime storiesa true crime podcast built on real cases.
Every true crime story in our crime files follows the crime investigation from the missing person report to the trial: investigators and police building a murder case, a police investigation gone cold, justice for the victim and those who survived.
We open the unsolved murder, the cold case reopened decades later, the mysterious death, the disappearance, the serial killer, the family murder, the murder mystery; the missing persons a missing woman, a missing girl, a missing man found dead and the missing and murdered.
From the infamous case to the unsolved case, from classic true crime to dark true crime and disturbing true crime: true crime reports, real crime stories, real murder cases, true murder stories and unsolved mysteries one true crime case at a time, from the OBOMEDIA true crime vault.
© 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text and related materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing and business inquirie