"The Doodler": a serial killer of gay men in San Frisco in the 70s
Here's an interesting story about a series of murders of gay men that took place in San Francisco in 1974 and 1975. The killer was an African-American man who was known as The Doodler, because he would go to gay bars and catch the eye of his victims by drawing caricatures of them. Then he'd take them to a secluded spot and stab them to death.
The Doodler, who killed at least five men and injured at least three more, was never caught, though a number of suspects were investigated. The case is still considered open.
The most intriguing gossip tidbit in the piece is about two of the three victims who survived. One was "a well-known San Francisco figure." The other was a "nationally known" entertainer:
[quote] I asked Randall Alfred, the Sentinel’s news editor in 1975, who the entertainer might have been. “Was it Johnnie Ray? Was it Rock Hudson? Richard Chamberlain?” he said. “It was a time of very cheap airfare from L.A. to San Francisco.”
[quote] Of the three, only Chamberlin is still alive. “No comment,” said his manager.
Does anyone remember these killings? Or know the identities of the entertainer or the well-known San Francisco figure?
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | December 22, 2018 12:58 PM
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This one was odd -- the LA media covered everyone but him, it seems. I never heard about him until he was mentioned in "Tales of the City."
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | December 12, 2014 1:28 PM
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I bet it was Ike Mazzard.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | December 12, 2014 1:43 PM
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It's unusual for a serial killer to be African American.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | December 12, 2014 6:36 PM
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Was The Doodler in Tales? I know the Zodiac was in the form of a killer called The Tooth Fairy, but he was taken out of the story when Maupin re-edited it for publication as a book.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | December 12, 2014 6:40 PM
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I definitely would have fallen for someone who had drawn a caricature of me. Cute and quirky. Good thing I wasn't born yet.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | December 12, 2014 6:45 PM
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This investigation was doomed for failure the moment they christened him with the title 'The Doodler'. It neither strikes fear or mystery. It's actually comical. It sounds like a Batman villain. And yes I know it's based on the fact that he drew pictures of his victims but still. They ought to have chosen another name if they were at all serious.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | December 12, 2014 6:49 PM
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Perhaps he was inspired by this production number from "The Dick Van Dyke Show."
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | December 12, 2014 8:46 PM
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I've had my share of hookups where later I thought, gee, I should have told someone where I was going -- just in case.
It could happen so easily to any of us.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | December 12, 2014 10:23 PM
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Growing up, my parents called mine and my sisters breasts our "doodles". I wonder if they're somehow mixed up in this.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | December 12, 2014 10:24 PM
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Maupin just described the Doodler's M.O. in passing, as one of the dangers Michael felt he faced in the Castro.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | December 13, 2014 4:51 AM
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Actually, R6, it's not unusual for a serial killer to be African-American. According to one study, 20 percent of serial killers are African-American. The most famous serial killers (Bundy, Dahmer, Zodiac, etc.) are all white guys, but they are plenty who are not white (or not even guys!). But we as a society pay more attention to white victims, and most serial killers murder people of their own race. Therefore the white serial killers tend to get more attention.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | December 14, 2014 1:28 AM
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Should have called him "The Sketcher."
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | December 14, 2014 1:42 AM
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What kills me(ugh) is that at the time it was more important to protect someone who was in the closet than to protect other gays who might become a victim. It's a pretty intriguing case. I'm betting on Rock Hudson.
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | December 14, 2014 2:06 AM
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Randy Steven Kraft was white and racked up way more deaths than this "Doodler".
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | December 14, 2014 2:11 AM
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Gays would much rather talk about Trump then something that actually affected their past and may make themselves wonder where their values are
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | December 22, 2018 12:58 PM
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