He would sit with men in a well-known Castro District bar, sketch flattering little portraits of them, then walk out with them into the night. Several never made it home.
Background
Beginning in 1974, an unidentified killer targeted gay men in San Francisco, operating around the same time as the far more widely known Zodiac Killer. Investigators confirmed five murders connected to the case, with additional related attacks and possible victims that were never definitively tied to him, bringing his suspected total as high as 16 according to some estimates. He became known as "The Doodler" because witnesses and survivors said he would sketch portraits of the men he targeted before attacking them.
The Pattern
Witnesses described the suspect as an American man in his late teens to mid-twenties, around 5'10" to 6 feet tall, often wearing a navy watch cap, and possibly an art student given his apparent skill and above-average intelligence. He was known to approach men at a well-known Castro District gay bar, where he would sketch them before the two would leave together — after which several of the men were later found stabbed near the city's ocean beach areas.
The Victims
Confirmed victims included Gerald Cavanaugh, a 49-year-old mattress factory worker found dead in January 1974, who showed signs of having fought back against his attacker; Joseph "Jae" Stevens, a performer found dead in June 1974; and others including Klaus Christmann, Frederick Capin, and Harald Gullberg, though some connections to the same killer remain uncertain.
Why the Case Went Cold
At the time, widespread social stigma around homosexuality made many witnesses and potential survivors reluctant to come forward, out of fear of being publicly outed in an era when doing so could carry serious personal and professional consequences. This significantly hampered the original investigation.
Where the Case Stands
San Francisco police reopened the case in recent years, releasing an updated suspect sketch and an audio recording believed to be connected to the killer, in hopes that changing social attitudes might encourage witnesses who previously stayed silent to come forward. The Doodler has never been identified, and the case remains open.
FAQ
Has the Doodler ever been identified?
No. Despite a reopened investigation and new evidence releases, the killer has never been identified.
How many victims did the Doodler have?
Five murders were officially confirmed, though the total suspected victim count may be as high as 16 based on related, unconfirmed attacks.
Why didn't more witnesses come forward at the time?
Social stigma around homosexuality in the 1970s made many survivors and witnesses reluctant to speak with police for fear of being publicly outed.