Review: Young, Queer, and Dead: A Biography of San Francisco's Most Overlooked Serial Killer, The Doodler by Reagan Martin

I had never heard of this killer until it was mentioned on a group.  Active during the same period as Zodiac and Zebra in San Francisco, this killer is thought to have murdered 14 gay men and attacked 3 others.

At the time, the killings appeared to have different victim sets:  the first transvestites, the second gay men involved in BSDM and the third, more well off and professional seeming gay men.  So the police thought they were dealing with three different killers.  After the three men who survived attacks identified a suspect who they say, drew them (hence the nickname The Doodler), had sex with them and then attacked them, the police found out it was likely the one suspect.

Unfortunately, the survivors were all in the closet and would NOT testify in court, so even though he allegedly gave them enough info to be sure it was him, they could not arrest him.

This entire story was fascinating and well told.  Afterwards I went online and there really is very little info about this horrible killer, so I am glad I stumbled across this book.

One can only hope that maybe someday, advances in science or a witness or something can close the case.

Terri