In the 1980s and 90s, the decaying shipping warehouses of Manhattan’s West Village were a world entirely of their own.

For thousands of marginalized queer youth, trans women, and outcasts pushed to the fringes of the city, the rotting timber and pitch-black labyrinths of Piers 45, 46, and 50 offered a vital sanctuary.

It was the cradle of the underground ballroom scene and a place of unapologetic freedom.

​But the dark hides everyone equally.

​In this episode of Homocidal Tendency, we step off the cobblestones of West Street and into the shadows to explore how the ultimate haven became a hunting ground.

We unpack the deeply atmospheric and terrifying history of an era where unchecked predators, roving gangs, and police apathy turned the waterfront into a literal trap, and how the city eventually paved over the history of the people who fought to survive there.

​In this episode, we cover:

• ​The Concrete Labyrinth: The imposing architecture, isolation, and daily dangers of living on the rotting wood of the West Village piers.
• ​The Cruising Scene: How the mechanics of the post-Stonewall underground nightlife inadvertently created the perfect camouflage for serial killers.
• ​The Bag Murders (CUPPI): The chilling 1970s string of dismembered victims found in the Hudson River, the connection to The Exorcist extra Paul Bateson, and the permanent shadow of dread left behind.
• ​The Ramrod Massacre: The horrific November 1980 mass shooting carried out by Ronald Crumpley that proved the perimeter of the waterfront was just as deadly as the dark.
• ​The Loss of a Legend: The tragic 1992 death of LGBTQ+ icon and waterfront protector Marsha P. Johnson, the highly contested police ruling, and the massive community uprising that followed.
• ​Erasure: The city’s decision to bulldoze the crime scenes for luxury real estate and the ghosts still lingering beneath Hudson River Park.

​Resources & Visuals:

To truly understand the monolithic scale and raw atmosphere of the waterfront, you have to see it. Head over to our social media to view the incredible, gritty photography of the era, including works by artists like Alvin Baltrop.

• ​Instagram, TikTok & BlueSky: Search for Homocidal Tendency (remember, that’s Homocidal with an 'O') and hit that follow button for behind-the-scenes updates and historical episode graphics.

https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

​Support the Show:

If you appreciate these deep dives into the underreported, atmospheric corners of true crime, please take a second to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It is the absolute best way to help the show grow and bring these forgotten stories to light.

​Stay out of the dark.

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A sprawling 40-acre estate in the Rhode Island woods. A disconnected phone line. Millions of dollars vanished into thin air. The only witnesses? A pack of 50 prize-winning dogs.

​This week on Homocidal Tendency, we are traveling back to the 1980s to unpack one of the most infuriating and heartbreaking cases of the decade. We explore the life of Cam Lyman, a transgender millionaire who built an isolated fortress to protect himself from a hostile society, only to be betrayed by the one person he let inside the gates.

​From the forged letters and the missing briefcase of uninsured jewels to the grim discovery inside a 500-pound septic tank a decade later, we break down the timeline, the staggering legal loopholes, and the ultimate erasure of Cam’s identity in death.

​In This Episode, We Cover:

• ​The Fortress: Cam’s intense isolation, his championship dog-breeding operation, and the terrifying realities of navigating trans healthcare in the 1980s.
• ​The Caretaker: Enter George O'Neil—the trusted proxy who took over the estate and spun an elaborate, decade-long alibi.
• ​The Missing Millions: The forensic accounting nightmare that revealed just how much of the Lyman fortune evaporated.
• ​The Gruesome Discovery: The 1997 unearthing of the hopkinton estate's darkest secret.
• ​The Aftermath: The devastating legal conclusion and why Cam’s family ultimately buried him under his deadname.

​Connect with the Show:

Did O'Neil act alone in moving that massive concrete lid, or is someone else still out there harboring a 40-year-old secret? Let me know your theories!

• ​Instagram: @HomocidalTendency
• ​TikTok: @HomocidalTendency
• ​BlueSky: @HomocidalTendency

https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

​Support the Podcast:

If you are loving the deep dives, please take a second to leave us a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it truly helps us keep bringing these stories to light.

​New to the podcast? Lock your doors and catch up on our first 17 binge-worthy episodes, available right now!

​Stay safe, watch who you trust, and remember... the most dangerous monsters are usually the ones we invite inside.

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The Cleveland Torso Murders | The Butcher of Kingsbury Run

​Episode Description:

In the grip of the Great Depression, the soot-choked city of Cleveland was brought to its knees by a phantom. Between 1935 and 1938, a brilliant, meticulous monster turned the shantytowns of Kingsbury Run and the illicit vice district of the "Roaring Third" into his own personal slaughterhouse.

​This week on Homocidal Tendency, we descend into the shadows of the Rust Belt to hunt the Mad Butcher. We explore the gruesome, surgical signature of the killer, the escalating cat-and-mouse game that ultimately broke legendary lawman Eliot Ness, and the chilling parallels to the Black Dahlia.

​But more importantly, we look at who the Butcher chose to dismantle. This killer weaponized the prejudices of 1930s society, specifically targeting the invisible and the unprotected transients, sex workers, and members of the underground queer community. We take a deep dive into the tragic story of Victim Number One, Edward Andrassy, and how the brutal homophobia of the era provided the perfect cover for a monster hiding in plain sight.

​In Memoriam:

We dedicate this episode to the victims who were marginalized in life and violently erased in death. To Edward Andrassy, Florence Polillo, Rose Wallace, and the nine unidentified John and Jane Does forever trapped in the archives. You are not forgotten.

Join the Investigation:

To see the unredacted evidence files, death masks, and historical maps of Kingsbury Run discussed in today's episode, follow us on social media:

• ​Instagram: @[HomocidalTendency]
• ​Twitter/X: @[homocidalpod]
• ​Bluesky: @[HomocidalTendency]

​Support the Show:

If you survived the shadows this week, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It is the best way to help other true crime fans find the show!

​https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

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​There is a specific kind of thrill we look for in a dark ride. We willingly plunge into the pitch black, waiting for the jump scare, knowing that eventually, the track leads back out into the light.

But on the freezing night of June 9th, 1979, the fake monsters inside Sydney’s Luna Park Ghost Train were replaced by a very real, lethal threat.

​This week on Homocidal Tendency, we head to the neon-lit, gritty waterfront of 1970s Sydney, Australia, to uncover a mass-casualty event that was quickly swept under the rug by a deeply corrupt police force.

We discuss how a beloved amusement park became a death trap, and how the tragedy leads directly back to Abe Saffron an untouchable mafia kingpin who built his underworld empire by exploiting and weaponizing the city's marginalized queer community.

​Sometimes, the real monsters don't live in the haunted house. Sometimes, they own the deed to the property.

Sources & Further Deep Dives:

• ​Documentary: Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2021). A groundbreaking investigative series that blew the lid off the police cover-up.
• ​News Report: Claims Sydney underworld figure Abe Saffron orchestrated Luna Park Ghost Train Fire (ABC News).
• ​Documentary: King of the Cross: Abe Saffron - For a closer look at the sheer scale of the corruption and the empire Saffron built in Kings Cross.

​Support the Podcast:

If you enjoyed this deep dive, please take a second to hit that follow button and leave us a rating! It is the absolute best way to support the show and help us bring these forgotten stories out of the shadows.

​Follow Us on Social Media:

Head over to our Instagram and TikTok for all the visual evidence for this episode, including archival photos of 1970s Luna Park, the crime scene, and the neon-soaked streets of Kings Cross.

https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

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Episode 15: The Atlanta Hustler Murders

​Episode Summary:

The monsters aren’t always wearing masks in the woods. Sometimes, they are waiting in the exact spaces the rest of the world decided to ignore.

​In the mid-1980s, Atlanta was aggressively branding itself as the gleaming capital of the "New South." But just blocks away from the shining new skyscrapers, a perfect storm of systemic racism, deep-seated homophobia, and the terrifying peak of the AIDS panic was pushing the city's most vulnerable citizens into the shadows.

​This week, Matt takes a deep dive into the chilling case of Michael Devern Terry.

Operating with complete impunity for almost a year, Terry weaponized the decaying urban architecture of Atlanta and the apathy of the police to hunt down marginalized, Black, queer men.

We break down Terry's escalating criminal past, the grim daily reality of "the stroll," the psychological horror of internalized homophobia, and the arrogant mistake that finally brought his reign of terror to an end.

​Episode Breakdown:

• ​The Anatomy of Escalation: Tracing Terry's early criminal record and how he rehearsed for murder.
• ​The Two Atlantas: Exploring the stark contrast between the booming "New South" and the city's decaying, abandoned blind spots.
• ​The Stroll & Survival: The harsh reality and extreme dangers of sex work in 1980s Atlanta.
• ​The Timeline of the Forgotten: Tracking the tragic, year-long spree and the specific Modus Operandi that exploited society's apathy.
• ​The Mirror and The Rage: A behavioral analysis of the killer's intense internalized homophobia and how it manifested at the crime scenes.
• ​The Kennesaw Avenue Mistake: The arrogant blunder that led to Terry's arrest, his absurd interrogation room lies, and the chaotic trial that followed.

​In Memoriam:

We tell these stories not to glorify the killers, but to make sure the victims are finally seen in the light. In this episode, we remember the six men who deserved better from their city:

• ​Richard Williams (24)
• ​Curtis Lee Brown (21)
• ​Alvin George (31)
• ​Jason B. McColley (18)
• ​George Willingham (30)
• ​Daryl O. Williams (20)

​Listen & Subscribe:

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

​Homocidal Tendency: A True Crime Podcast

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Stay safe out there, and we'll see you in the shadows.

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Imagine risking your freedom, your career, and your country for a forbidden romance... only to realize you don’t know the first thing about the person sleeping next to you.

​This week on Homocidal Tendency, we are stepping out of the shadows of Beijing and into one of the most bizarre, devastating, and theatrical true crime cases of the 20th century. In 1964, a lonely French diplomat named Bernard Boursicot fell in love with a beautiful, mysterious Beijing Opera singer named Shi Pei Pu. What followed was a 20-year web of international espionage, stolen classified documents, and a lie so absolute it eventually broke a man’s mind.

​How do you share a life, a bed, and a child with someone for two decades without seeing the truth? We break down the Cold War paranoia, the crushing weight of internalized homophobia, and the brutal interrogation room reveal that brought the ultimate illusion crashing down.

​Further Watching & Reading:

• ​The Play: M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang (1988 Tony Award Winner for Best Play). A brilliant theatrical subversion of the case.
• ​The Movie: M. Butterfly (1993). Directed by the legendary master of psychological and body horror, David Cronenberg, and starring Jeremy Irons.

​Support the Show:

If you enjoyed stepping into the dark with us this week, please hit that follow button and leave a 5-star rating and review! It is the absolute best way to help the podcast grow.

• ​Follow us on Instagram/Threads/X: @HomocidalTendency

https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

• ​Join the conversation: Did Bernard really not know for twenty years, or did he just refuse to see what was right in front of him? Let us know in the comments

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How does a killer commit a frenzied, brutal murder in the middle of a bustling university building in broad daylight, and walk away like a ghost?

This week, we are unlocking the doors of 1 Spadina Crescent a massive, 19th-century gothic fortress with a dark history to explore one of Toronto’s most baffling unsolved cold cases.

​In January 2001, beloved Fine Arts professor and brilliant queer artist David Buller was found slaughtered inside his secluded studio office. With zero DNA left behind, a missing murder weapon, and an eerie silence surrounding the attack, investigators were left with a locked-room mystery that continues to haunt the campus 25 years later.

We explore the cutthroat world of academia, the chilling foreshadowing found in David's final 1980s and 90s-inspired artwork, and the spatial anomalies of a building that practically helped a killer escape.

Key Takeaways & Visuals

• ​The Crime Scene: The twisting, labyrinth-like layout of 1 Spadina Crescent played a massive role in the killer's ability to escape unseen. Be sure to check our social media for the conceptual floor plan discussed in today's episode.
• ​The Artwork: We highly encourage you to seek out David Buller's incredible portfolio, specifically noting the dark transition his pieces took in his final years.

https://ccca.art/creator/98/

• ​The Village Connection: A chilling look back at how the Church and Wellesley Gay Village, intended as a safe haven, was navigated by predators long before the reign of Bruce McArthur.

​Resources & Links

• ​Visual Deep Dive: Watch the To Catch a Killer documentary episode featuring spatial analysis of the crime scene and expert breakdowns of David's final paintings: Watch Here
• ​Follow the Show: See the crime scene floor plans, teaser images, and episode updates over on our Bluesky and Instagram pages at @HomocidalTendency.

https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency

​Call to Action: Do You Have the Missing Piece?

​The $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of David Buller's killer remains unclaimed. If you were a student or faculty member at the U of T Fine Arts department in the winter of 2001, a memory you brushed off 25 years ago might be the key to breaking this case wide open.

• ​Contact the Toronto Police Service Homicide Unit: 416-808-7400
• ​Leave an Anonymous Tip via Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.222tips.com.

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What happens when a monster only hunts other monsters? This week on Homocidal Tendency, we descend into the subterranean basement of HMP Wakefield to unlock the terrifying, tragic truth behind Britain's most isolated prisoner: Robert Maudsley.

​For over 40 years, Maudsley has lived inside a custom-built, bulletproof glass cage. The British tabloids branded him "Hannibal the Cannibal" and "The Brain Eater," painting him as a boogeyman so lethal he couldn't be housed with other human beings. But the truth is far more complicated, and deeply rooted in the marginalized, vulnerable queer underground of 1970s London.

​From the grim streets of Piccadilly Circus to a horrific nine-hour barricade inside the gothic walls of Broadmoor Hospital, we are tracking the violent escalation of a severely traumatized young man who the system refused to help. Was his brutal, vigilante-style murder spree against child abusers a calculated act of evil, or the inevitable explosion of a broken system?

​Step into the Monster Mansion, and don't trust the shadows.

​Case Resources & Mentions:

• ​HMP Wakefield (The Monster Mansion)
• ​Broadmoor High-Security Psychiatric Hospital
• ​The "Cyanide or Cockatoo" Petition Letters (2000)
• ​Red Dragon & The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris (Timeline debunking)

​Support the Show:

If you enjoyed our deep dive into the darkness this week, please leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It is the best way to help other horror and true crime fans find the show.

• ​Join the Conversation: Head over to our Instagram and X (Twitter) @HomocidalTendency to see the actual blueprint of Maudsley's glass cell and let us know where you stand on the vigilante debate.

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