Once upon a time there was an evil queen, but you know all about her – and have probably seen her in Soho – so this Halloween we’re going to go one better and look at queens that kill. Gays may be one of the most peace-loving minorities in the world, but, just like the straights, our community has had its fair share of twisted minds – and these guys take it much further than a poisoned apple!
The Kansas Butcher – Bob Berdella
Now this was a twisted bitch – Berdella sexually abused, raped, tortured and killed at least six gay men in the late 1980s. He drugged his victims before turning them into unwilling sex slaves; he tied them up, beat them, gave them electric shocks and put burning chemicals in their eyes. But with his double chin and awful moustache, we’re thinking that was the only way he was ever going to get laid. He was caught when his final victim managed to escape, after four days of torture. Police found remains of those killed in his closet and buried in his garden.
Murderer of Gianni Versace – Andrew Cunanan
Cunanan shot and killed four men across America, with no known motive. And we could have forgiven a little bit of serial killing, but Cunanan’s next move was the murder of Gianni Versace. Crimes against fashion are unforgivable – end of! (Beneath the botox, Donatella was deeply distraught…)
The Milwaukee Cannibal – Jeffrey Dahmer
Dharma started early, committing his first murder at 18 years old, but graciously spared the world from anymore of his bloodshed for nine years. But then… this sista went on the rampage. He’d lure men to his house and drug them before killing them by strangulation. Often he would sexually molest the corpse and then eat it – wonder if they’ve got a category for that on Grindr? He was caught in 1991, by which time he’d been committing a murder every week.
Muswell Hill Murderer – Dennis Nielsen
A bit too close to home, these murders occurred in our own grey city – and this queen is still alive (albeit serving a whole life sentence – phew). Nilsen strangled and drowned 15 young men, before storing them about his house, occasionally having sex with the corpses. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1983 – anyone want a pen pal?
The Wolf Man – Michael Lupo
Lupo, who shares his name with the Duchess of Cambridge’s cocker Spaniel, worked in the YSL boutique on Brompton Road in the 1980s. He titled himself ‘The Wolf Man’ and boasted of sleeping with over 4,000 men – sounds like a week on an Atlantis cruise. But in 1986 Lupo contracted AIDS and decided he’d take revenge upon the gay community, who he blamed. He killed at least four guys that he’d picked up at bars, subjecting them to a bloody and violent death before dumping their bodies.
Pogo the Clown – John Wayne Gacy
Gacy, also known to some of his Chicago neighbours as ‘Pogo the Clown’ (pictured), appeared to be a generous and charitable family man, who was even involved in the Democratic Party – which is odd, ‘cause serial killing is totally Republican, right? He killed 33 men in the 1970s, enticing them to his house, handcuffing them and then sexually assaulting them before strangling them to death. Gacy was executed in 1994 – although Pogo has been sighted in Northampton recently!
He Wrote Off Rasputin – Prince Yusupov
You’ve heard the song yeah, by Boney M? Well, it was Yusupov who murdered Ra, Ra, Rasputin. He was apparently sexually obsessed with Rasputin and assisted with his murder in 1916. But our favourite thing about Yusupov was that he used to dress up as a lady and go dancing in the gypsy camps – cut to Glendora slut dropping around Dale Farm.
More grisly gays…
By no means is that all of them, we’ve yet to tell you about Kenneth Halliwell, who murdered his partner in 1967 or Fritz Haarman, who killed at least 20 men in the 1920s, but we need to go find ourselves some spooky costumes for Halloween. Have a great Halloween and be careful who you bring home at night!
