Panic True Queer Crime

The Hyde Incident

Susan Hyde In 1978, the women's tennis team at California State University, Northridge was rocked by a grisly murder borne out of jealousy. Susan Hyde and her partner of several years, Janis Hasse, lived and worked together on campus, but Hasse's relationship with 21, Loni Andersen, carried on even though Hasse lived with Hyde. When Hyde was out of town, Hasse and Andersen would get together. Finally, Hasse ended the affair, and though Andersen seemed to move on, she was silently plotting and planning to get back together with Hasse, but it would all end in murder. Robert Evans In 1986, Robert Evans went missing until his body was found beaten, battered, and bruised. His killer would be a young man who had developed a penchant for cruising gay men and robbing them; in this case, a victim stood between him and what he wanted. The trial's ending might surprise you. Fred Pletka In 1977, the nude bodies of Robert Schmeckpeper and James King were found in their Sioux City trailer, setting off a case that would spiral into a brutal trial and a disturbing legal defense. Fred Pletka was eventually convicted, but the way the crime was framed says as much about the era's prejudice as it does about the murders themselves. The Black Cat On New Year's Eve 1966, undercover LAPD officers raided the Black Cat bar in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, triggering one of the earliest LGBTQ civil rights protests in U.S. history. There was another bar raided on the same night as the Black Cat, two patrons were arrested bring the total to 16. The protest against police violence across Los Angeles was one of the first protests where LGBTQ+ folks joined in common cause with members of the African American and Latino communities, also protesting violence at the hands of police. To watch any of these episode check out the YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/@queerpanic [https://www.youtube.com/@queerpanic]

Richard Heakin and Decades of Hate

In this episode, the murder of Richard Heakin for whom San Francisco's Butterfly Brigade was named. On June 6, 1976, 21-year-old Richard Heakin of Lincoln, Nebraska, was leaving Tucson's Stonewall Tavern, a gay bar, when a group of teenage boys attacked him in the dirt parking lot. They had reportedly gone there "looking for fags to beat up," and witnesses saw them kicking Richard on the ground before one landed a brutal blow to his neck that proved fatal. He died shortly afterward at the University of Arizona Medical Center. In April of 2023, in 48 hours period, Jer Auntey Pleasant lured San Antonio, Texas, Larry Wilson, and Joseph West. In April 2023, two gay men were lured through Grindr and murdered days apart, leaving a terrified community and a digital trail of evidence. In this short, we break down how the killer targeted his victims, what went wrong in those final meetings, and how investigators finally connected the dots. Ed (Edward) Cornes was a 19‑year‑old gay first‑year history student at University College London who was found dead in a King's Cross hotel basement room in October 2021. The two men arrested for death were released, and the case was closed. The Cornes' family believes the investigation into their son's death was tainted by homophobic assumptions on the part of the Metropolitan Police. On February 22, 2026, at 2:31 a.m., Orlando Police responded to a shooting outside Savoy Orlando nightclub on N Orange Ave. 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz was found with a gunshot wound during chaotic closing time—patrons scattering as cars passed and tensions boiled over into deadly violence. To watch any of these episode check out the YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/@queerpanic [https://www.youtube.com/@queerpanic]

Hunted: Five Little-Known Tucson Hate Crime Murders

While researching the 1976 murder of Robert Hillsborough, I encountered references to San Francisco's Butterfly Brigade — officially known as the Richard Heakin Memorial Butterfly Brigade. Why would a hate crime murder in Arizona become the rallying cry for LGBTQ+ folks in San Francisco? In researching that question, I stumbled on five murders, including Mr. Heakins. In this episode, a 1970s gay community under siege, and the uneven application of justice. In this first episode, two 1974 murders committed by shockingly young perpetrators and a third committed by a group of teens police seemed to identify, interview, and release. Thanks for joining me for Hunted: Part One. 📜 Sources, links, and the Robert Hillsborough case video can be found here: https://youtube.com/shorts/-4rimvr69RU [https://youtube.com/shorts/-4rimvr69RU] 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. If you'd like to watch this episode: https://youtu.be/zOPufn1wBm8 [https://youtu.be/zOPufn1wBm8]

Panic 26: Love, Death, and Defiance

In this episode an update, stories of intimate partner violence, and folks you should know about. I wanted to bookend the episode with a story of bravery and power. Please stick around til the end, you will want to know about Chris Bearchell. She rocks. I'd like to thank Feedspot [https://www.feedspot.com/] for alerting us to the amazing fact that Panic: queer True Crime is, for the second year, in the top ten most listened to queer true crime podcasts. Thanks to Feedspot and thanks to you for making it happen. Hugs! Fanny & Stella: A Wild, Wild Victorian Ride Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park were "respectable" Victorian gentlemen who found freedom onstage as Fanny and Stella. Their drag performances thrilled audiences across 1860s–70s England—until they brought their show into the streets. Their arrest and scandalous trial exposed the era's hypocrisy and crushed both love and ambition. Fanny, Stella, and their circle lived boldly in a world that punished authenticity, making them pioneers to be celebrated. 2025 Update: Justice for Jimmie 'Jay' Lee in the Ole Miss Murder Case After an 11–1 mistrial and the later discovery of Jimmie "Jay" Lee's body, Timothy Herrington Jr. took a plea deal for Lee's killing. The judge said Mississippi "got it right this time," yet the state still lacks LGBTQ+ protections or hate crime coverage. Both young men had promising futures ended by homophobia—a reminder that being gay isn't deadly, but hate is. Her Short, Brilliant Life Was Cut Short by Violence When Girlalala (LaLa) and her boyfriend, Shanoyd Whyte Jr., fought on November 14, 2025, tragedy struck. Whyte pulled a gun and killed LaLa, leaving the community in shock. Intimate partner violence is alarmingly high in the trans community—but help is available. If you or someone you know is in danger, please seek support. Timothy Smith Murder Trial Update Timothy Smith and Herbert Swilley seemed the picture of happiness in Ocala, Florida—until coworkers found Smith dead in March 2023. He'd been drugged, strangled, and left in a staged scene. Months later, Swilley was charged with first-degree premeditated murder. Warrior Chris Bearchell: "No More Sht" Christine "Chris" Bearchell was a fearless Canadian lesbian activist who helped reshape LGBTQ+ rights. From challenging sexist dress codes in high school to leading protests after Toronto's 1981 bathhouse raids, she fought back against police harassment and public shaming. A founder of the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives and key voice in securing Ontario's human rights protections, she also championed sex workers' rights and HIV/AIDS outreach. Bearchell died in 2007 at 53—remembered as a visionary warrior who deserves wider recognition. You deserve to live a life free of violence of any kind. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE National Hotlines and Support National Domestic Violence Hotline Phone: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Text: Text "START" to 88788 Live Chat & Information: thehotline.org [https://www.thehotline.org/] Services are available 24/7, confidential, and support all individuals regardless of identity or background. Trans Lifeline: A trans-led hotline providing emotional support and crisis intervention for trans people. Call 877-565-8860 or visit translifeline.org. The Network/La Red: A 24-hour confidential hotline for LGBTQ+ people experiencing domestic violence. Call 617-742-4911 (local) or 800-832-1901 (toll-free). If you or someone you know is in danger: Call 9-1-1 immediately. Please subscribe and share this story. These stories deserve our loving attention.

Heartbreak and Victory: Stories of Resistance, Violence, and Change

At first glance, these stories might seem disparate in time, history, and gender—but they aren't at all. From resistance to bar raids, arrests, and harassment long before Stonewall, to hate crime murders and legal defenses ratified in courts across the world, until gay panic could no longer be sustained as a murder rationale. Each one of these stories of heartbreak and victory adds a vital detail to the larger story of queer folks and their struggle to achieve equality and full protection under the law. Please subscribe and share these stories. 1. The Homosexual Advance Defense (1993) In 1993, Malcolm Green confessed to killing a man who tried to help him—a case that exposed Australia's "homosexual advance defense" loophole and sparked decades of activism that eventually changed the law. 2. The Black Cat Cafe During WWII, San Francisco police and the liquor board joined forces to shut down queer gathering spaces. The Black Cat Cafe became an early model of resistance, laying groundwork for the activism that would eventually transform law enforcement's relationship with the city's LGBTQ+ community. 3. Colorado's Conversion Therapy Ban at the Supreme Court (2025) On October 7, 2025, a Colorado counselor challenged the state's conversion therapy ban before the Supreme Court. Research consistently shows these practices cause depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation—especially in minors. A ruling against the ban could allow harmful practices to resume nationwide. 4. Cooper Donuts Riot (1959) On a May night in 1959, trans women, lesbians, drag queens, and gay patrons at Cooper Donuts in LA's Skid Row fought back against police harassment—an early act of LGBTQ+ resistance. 5. Pepper Hill Club Raid (1955) Baltimore police arrested 162 people at the Pepper Hill Club, requiring six wagons and 24 trips. A judge condemned the abuse of power, resulting in only a handful of convictions. 6. Justice for Kier Solomon (2021–2025) Kier Solomon, a 21-year-old transgender woman, was found fatally shot in her car at an Arlington, Texas, apartment complex in September 2021—the 38th transgender person killed by violence in the U.S. that year. After nearly four years unsolved, investigators charged Arthur Morris Jr. with her murder in 2025, using digital evidence, app records, and cell phone data to build the case. This episode honors Kier's life and examines what her case means for LGBTQ+ communities safety and justice. 7. The Murder of Julio Rivera (1990) In 1990, 29-year-old Julio Rivera was killed in a brutal act of anti-gay violence in New York City. His murder galvanized the queer community into action, pressuring police to investigate and sending a clear message: they would no longer tolerate being battered, murdered, and ignored. Please subscribe and share these stories.