Nearly five decades ago, a serial killer terrorised the gay community in 1970s San Francisco. Targeting gay men, this still-unnamed psychopath would target homosexual men and earned their nickname of The Doodler by sketching portraits of his victims before taking their lives.
Now, that killer is the focus of a new true crime podcast, aptly-named The Doodler.
The narrative podcast, available on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify along with other leading platforms, comes from The San Francisco Chronicle, UK production company Ugly Duckling Films and Sony Entertainment Music. Pulitzer-prize nominated reporter Kevin Fagan joins long-time investigative report Michael Taylor for hosting duties, with contributions also coming fro King Kaufman.
Kicking things off with an overview of the active investigation into the crimes, subsequent episodes will aim to re-investigate exactly what happened, with the hosts welcoming a wide variety of guests who are tied either directly or indirectly to the case.
Those he had killed were found stabbed multiple times, near gay cruising spots in the city. The San Francisco Police Department at the time said they had a prime suspect, but they couldn't bring him to justice due to the refusal of witnesses to testify, for fear of being outed as gay. Amongst them were a politician and well-known entertainer.
With this case still unsolved, The Doodler is actively seeking information that may be linked to the case, with the production team setting up an anonymous tip line for anyone with information. Tips can be submitted by calling 415-570-9299.
“I’ve made it my mission to get to the bottom of these murders, alongside talented investigators and with the help of people involved with the case,” says Fagan.
“With our listeners’ help, we aim to put this mystery to rest once and for all, while shedding light on the plight of The Doodler’s victims.”
Occurring in a time when the lives of gay men weren’t a priority for those working to rid the streets of crime, it’s barely a surprise that The Doodler has evaded justice throughout the past almost-50 years.
With the possibility that he's still alive - being said to be between the ages of 19 and 25 during the time of his killing spree - it's an exciting notion that this cold case could heat up very quickly, with justice for those murdered and assaulted potentially now finally on the horizon.
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