A man, who has been dubbed a “cannibal killer” is fit to stand trial for the murder of a man he met on the gay dating app, Grindr.
According to police reports, Mark Latunski, 51, used Grindr to find and lure his victim to his home on Christmas Eve. His victim was a man called Kevin Bacon, a 25-year-old hairdresser and psychology student. Latunski’s legal team and his ex-wife have testified to a long history of mental illness.
Using the popular hookup app, Latunski allegedly lured Bacon to his home where he apparently took him to a “secret room”, outfitted as a BDSM dungeon according to the Daily Star, before apparently committing the gruesome slaying of the 25-year-old.
Latunski apparently told police that he stabbed Bacon in the back of the neck, twice. He then “strung” Bacon up by his ankles before slitting his throat, according to Michigan Live.
According to a report by Michigan State Police Special 1st Lieutenant, David Kaiser, Latunski then removed his victim’s testicles, with a knife and ate them.
Committed numerous times
According to divorce papers filed by Emily, his former wife, Latunski has a long history of mental illness. Latunski’s defender, Douglas Corwin has stated that his client has been committed to hospitals numerous times over mental health concerns.
Shiawassee County District Judge Ward Clarkson has, however, ruled that the accused, is “mentally competent for trial”.
A man has been “hacked to death”, apparently by his Grindr hook up, in the Bronx, New York.
An unnamed and unidentified male in New York has been killed in an apparent machete attack after his hookup date “violently cut him into pieces”, over what is thought to be a disagreement over sexual activities. It is believed the two met over the gay dating/ hook up, Grindr.
The alleged killer, Juan Alonso, was found, according to the New York Post to be wearing women’s underwear, bra and dress.
The victim, who has not be named, was found by Alonso’s roommate, who came home to find a bloodbath, with Alonso purportedly standing over his victim, holding the machete.
The building’s supervisor, John Gonzalez, told the New York Daily News that the victim had been “cut up and left “on the floor in pieces”.
“Dispute escalated”
Alonso was taken into custody where he was psychologically evaluated, and charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon according to the police.
Officials are investigating whether there was a “dispute over not liking certain sex activities and it escalated,
“The perp is not in his right mind,” a police source said. “He might have taken drugs,” a spokesperson for the police said.
An Irish man was found dead in a luxury flat he was housesitting after inviting a man for a dating app hook up.
Adrian Murphy, 43, was found dead in a flat in Battersea, London, which he had been house sitting. It is thought that he may have laid dead for up to three days before he was discovered, on the 4th of June.
The man, from Kilkenny in Ireland, had apparently organised a hook up on a dating app and has the hallmarks of a similar attack on a 40-year-old man in east-London just days beforehand.
The flat in which he was staying had been ransacked and property allegedly was stolen.
It is thought that he may have been drugged, police are still awaiting upon a toxicology report from Mr Murphy’s autopsy.
A post-mortem examination at St George’s Hospital on Wednesday, 6 June failed to determine a cause of death and detectives are now awaiting the result of further tests.
Arrests made
A Detective with the Metropolitan Police, Rob Pack confirmed that a 24-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl were arrested on the 12th June on suspicion of murder, rape and theft.
A 24-year-old man [A] was arrested late on Tuesday, 12 June, on suspicion of murder, rape and theft. He has since been bailed to attend a police station at a later date.
A 17-year-old girl [B] was arrested earlier on 12 June on suspicion of murder and theft. She has been released under investigation.
Detective Pack said, “We have linked these two incidents through our suspects and our enquiries continue to establish the exact circumstances.
“We know the victim in the Walthamstow incident met the male suspect through a social networking site and we are investigating whether there is a similar connection in Mr Murphy’s death.
“Both incidents happened over a short period of time and thorough enquiries have led us to make these prompt arrests. However, there is a possibility other offences may have been committed before 30 May.
“Has anything similar happened to you, or someone you know? A meeting arranged online that has led to intoxication, robbery and possibly sexual assault. Please have the confidence to approach my team so we can investigate what happened to you. You can also contact third party organisations such as the charity Galop. You will be taken seriously and treated with sensitivity.
“I would also be keen to talk to anyone who saw anything suspicious on the afternoon of 4 June around Lombard Road, anything that looked out of place.”
Enquiries have linked this incident to an earlier allegation of rape at an address in E17 on Thursday, 30 May at around 13:00hrs.
Similarly to the Stephen Port murders, in which the serial killer drugged, raped and the murdered his victims, he found on gay daying apps, the 40-year-old victim who survived his ordeal, believes he was drugged by a man he had invited to his flat after meeting him on a social networking platform.
He became unconscious and was found later that day by a friend who raised the alarm.
The victim was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital and has since been discharged.
Anyone who can help is asked to contact 101, quoting CAD 6467/4 June, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or the charity Galop or via their Shoutline on 020 7704 2040.
Officers have been investigating three separate attempted carjacking incidents that occurred after the victims engaged with a man they had met on the online dating app Grindr.
At around 7pm on Monday 25 March 2019, a man in his 50s was threatened in his own home in Irlam o’ th’ Height by a man armed with a knife who demanded he hand over his car keys.
Around an hour later on Bury Old Road in Prestwich, a man in his 40s was held at knifepoint by a man who again demanded his car keys.
The victim suffered several cuts to his throat, back and forearm and was taken to hospital for treatment. He has since been released and is recovering at home.
The alleged attacker, who was a passenger in the car during the assault, stabbed the man several times after demanding he hand over his car keys.
The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries and remains in a stable condition.
A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and two section 18 assaults. He remains in custody for questioning.
Man will be questioned by detectives
Chief Inspector Amanda Delamore, of GMP’s Salford district, said, “We now have a man in custody who will be questioned by my team in the coming hours as our enquiries continue.
“Our thoughts remain with the three victims who have all been left incredibly shaken by their ordeals and officers will continue to provide them with support at this distressing time.
“Our investigation does not stop here and I would continue to urge anyone with any information that could assist us to please get in touch with police.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 5194 or 101 quoting reference number 1764 of 26/03/2019.
Reports can also be made anonymously, via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
As well as appealing for potential witnesses, officers are directly appealing to users of the Grindr app who may have encountered the man pictured, or fallen victim to someone they met on the application.
The first victim, a man in his 50s, was threatened in his own home in Irlam o’ th’ Height shortly before 7pm om Monday 25 March 2019 by a man with a knife who demanded that he hand over his car keys. The offender failed to start the car and fled the scene.
An hour later in Prestwich, a man in his 40s had a knife held to his throat by an offender on Bury Old Road who demanded the victim’s car keys.
The man received small cuts to his throat, back and forearm and was taken to hospital for treatment, where he remains in a stable condition.
The third man, aged in his 20s, was attacked at around 5.45pm on Tuesday 26 March 2019.
He was threatened by a man who was a passenger in his car on Bolton Road, Pendlebury as they were parked on the roadside. He demanded he hand over his car keys before stabbing him several times.
The attacker then fled the scene on foot in the direction of Birch Drive towards High Bank Road.
The victim remains in hospital with serious injuries that are not believed to be life threatening.
Chief Inspector Amanda Delamore of GMP’s Salford Division said, “We believe that the same person is responsible for these premediated acts of violence.
“The injuries inflicted upon these men became progressively more violent with each attack and it’s imperative that anyone with information on these crimes contact us immediately.
“As well as appealing for witnesses, I’d like to appeal to anyone who uses Grindr and recognises the man in the image we’ve released to get in touch as a matter of urgency.
“Like other forms of online communication; dating applications carry risks.
“We’d urge people to be cautious when agreeing to meet strangers they have been speaking to online.
“Always meet someone new in a public place first, let someone know where you’re going and never give out personal information to someone you’ve just met.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 8172 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
A prominent ‘Chemsex’ scene drug dealer, who used the hook up app, Grindr to set up parties and sell drugs to its users, has been sentenced to nearly a decade in jail for possession with intent to supply Class A and C drugs.
Angelo Jardim, 49 (11.12.68) of Landor Road, SW9, who is originally from Portugal, was arrested on 15 September, 2017 by officers from Lambeth after intelligence suggested his property was being used to deal drugs.
Officers carried out a raid of his property and seized Class A drugs and around £13,000 in cash. He was arrested on suspicion with intent to supply.
During the raid, officers found Jardin had access to another address on Voltaire Road, SW4. They carried out a raid on this property and found large quantities of Class A and C drugs.
He was charged on 15 September, 2017, with six counts with possession to supply Class A, B and C drugs.
He pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court on Tuesdayy, 20 February 2018 and was sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, 20 February to nine years and ten months in jail.
PC Francis Stanton attached to Lambeth Proactive unit, commented: “Jardim was a prominent member of the Chemsex scene; organising parties and selling drugs to a large amount of men he met of the dating app, Grindr.
“Previously, a lot of Chemsex scene criminals were going under the radar, and not being detected, however we are making significant headway in the way we catch these criminals. Not only do they break the law by dealing drugs, but they also have a negative impact on families, and communities, by getting people addicted to illegal substances.”
A shocking freedom of information request has revealed that 28 crimes against gay and bisexual men in Manchester were related to the dating app, Grindr.
Fourteen of those crimes resulted in rape or sexual offences against the victim. Theft, non-sexual violence and drug trafficking were also reported.
The news comes after a series of high-profile murders in 2016 including,
The serial killer Stephen Port, who used Grindr and other gay dating apps to lure his victims, all young men under the age of 25, to his home before drugging and killing them.
John Leech, who will now lead a campaign to get dating apps to display safety notices. Speaking about Grindr and Tinder he said,
“It is completely unacceptable that neither of the two leading dating apps display safety alerts or notices at any point from download to real life use, not even anything as simple as meeting somewhere public and letting a friend know where you’re going.
“Something as serious as rape has an enormous and life-shattering impact on so many lives, from the victim to their friends, family and co-workers.
“Tinder and Grindr should not be let off the hook over such a serious and shocking lapse in care to their users.
“They must introduce safety alerts immediately and dramatically increase the safety of users, and they must do it now.”
Convicted killer Stefano Brizzi has been sentenced to 24 years jail time for the murder of a gay serving police officer.
Stefano Brizzi has been handed a 24-year jail term for the murder of a serving police officer, Gordon Semple. The jail term means he will be at least 74 before he can apply for parole. He was also served with a seven years’ imprisonment for obstructing a coroner from holding an inquest, for which this sentence will run concurrently.
Brizzi was found guilty of murder at the same court on Monday, 14 November, but pleaded guilty to obstructing a coroner on Thursday, 20 October – the first day of his trial.
Brizzi, 50, went to great lengths to dispose of 59-year-old Gordon Semple, by dismembering him and getting rid of him in a manner which “amounts to cannibalism”. Police investigating Semple’s death also revealed that they found “a number of bottles of chemicals scattered over the hallway floor and in the bathroom,” when they arrived at Brizzi’s address.
CREDIT: Metropolitan Police
On Friday, 1 April, Gordon Semple, who dedicated 30 years of his working life to the police, was on duty and had been at a meeting in London Bridge. Phone evidence has shown that at just after 14:00hrs that day he used the dating app Grindr to arrange to meet Brizzi for sex at his south London flat. That afternoon, Brizzi strangled Gordon Semple to death and over the following week set about systematically disposing of his body in a bid to either avoid being caught or ensuring that Gordon could never be identified.
Police arrived at Brizzi’s address six days later on Thursday, 7 April, after neighbours called them and the London Ambulance Service after becoming increasingly concerned about a vile stench emanating from the flat.
On arrival at the door, the officers were greeted by Brizzi wearing his underpants. The officers noted a number of bottles of chemicals scattered over the hallway floor, and in the bathroom discovered bin bags containing body parts.
Brizzi was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to Lewisham police station.
Commander Nick Downing, from the Metropolitan Police Service, said,
“Today, my heart goes out to Gordon’s partner, family, loved ones, friends and colleagues. They have my deepest sympathy; his loss continues to be acutely felt.
“Brizzi has shown no remorse for his actions, since the time of his arrest and throughout his trial. With today’s sentence a dangerous man, whose cold calculated actions were deeply disturbing, is behind bars.”
Statement on behalf of the family of Gordon Semple,
“Gordon continues to be sadly missed by our family. Gordon we miss you so much, may you rest in peace.
“Gordon was a loyal and much loved long term partner, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend to all.
“We were devastated when the news broke of Gordon’s murder and the circumstances which are still incredibly hard to deal with. It is still insurmountably upsetting. Nothing takes away the pain of our loss.
“At Gordon’s funeral we met many of his friends and work colleagues – we were proud to hear how fondly they thought of Gordon.”
Passing sentence the Recorder of London Nicholas Hilliard QC, said,
“The PCs on scene encountered something no amount of training could have prepared them for. I commend them both.
“Mr Semple was dearly loved by his family and friends and no sentence carried by this court can equate to the precious human life lost.”
Addressing Brizzi directly he said: “No sentence I can pass can undo what you’ve done.
“I have no doubt that there came a time when you went beyond what was agreed and you decided to cause him really serious harm.”
He added: “Your attempts to conceal what happened and dismembering and destroying his body are terrible features of the case.”
A teenager has been found guilty of the vicious murder of a man he met on the gay dating app, Grindr.
Ben Bamford, 18, has been found guilty of the murder of a 52-year-old man he met via the gay dating app, Grindr. Mr Bamford who was 17-years-old at the time of the murder unleashed a vicious attack on Paul Jefferies, reportedly a tax advisor to George Osbourne, who lived in East Sussex.
The attack happened on the 23 February 2016.
A sustained and bloody attack left Mr Jefferies with over 40 stab wounds. The court heard that Bamford also slashed the tax advisor’s throat, leaving him to die in a pool of his own blood. His body was discovered two days later when concerned work colleagues noted that he had not been into work.
Mr Bamford left the body with a tea towel covering his head.
CREDIT: Sussex Police
Mr Bamford denied murder and claimed that he was acting out in self-defense after alleging that his victim had tried to rape him. The court heard Bamford describing that Mr Jefferies had “got on top” of him and continued to have sex after Bamford had told him to stop.
Mr Bamford had sought out Mr Jefferies after accruing £400 in debt. A statement from Sussex Police remarked that they believed that he “went to see Mr Jefferies with the intention of exploiting him for money to pay off his drugs debt.”
Detective Chief Inspector Tanya Jones, who led the investigation for Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said,
“This was a horrific attack by a teenage boy who preyed on his victim with the aim of exploiting him for money.
“The level of violence he inflicted on Paul Jefferies was extreme and then he fled the scene in his victim’s car. He showed no remorse smirking for a selfie photo just hours later.
“However the jury did not believe his story. Although this can never undo what he has done, I hope it will bring some justice for Paul’s family, friends and colleagues.”
Stephen Port, 41 was first charged with four counts of murder in relation to the deaths of four men between June 2014 and September 2015.
The charges relate to the deaths of:
– Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, from Barnet, who was pronounced dead on Cooke Street, Barking on 19 June 2014.
– Gabriel Kovari, 22, from Lewisham, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 28 August 2014.
– Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 20 September 2014.
– Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, whose body was found near the Abbey Ruins close to North Street, Barking on Monday, 14 September.
Port denied the charges during a pre-trial hearing at the Old Bailey.
Today prosecutors added six more charges of allegedly administering a poison, seven counts of rape and four charges of sexual assault bringing the total of charges to 29, they are murder, manslaughter, administering a substance with intent, rape and assault by penetration.
Police did not at first link the deaths of together Mr Walgate, Mr Whitworth and Mr Kovari until Mr Taylor’s remains were found.
A major investigation under the Homicide and Major Crime Command led to Port’s arrest in 2015.
A gang of thugs is attacking gay men in South London after setting up hook ups on the dating app.
A gang of men have reportedly mugged two gay men in South London after arranging a hook up with each of them through a dating app. Although the men were not hurt they were confronted with a gang of four who robbed them at knifepoint.
Detective constable Sheree Yates said: ‘The victims thankfully did not suffer serious physical injuries but have been left very shaken by these incidents.
‘We are keen to identify the suspects as soon as possible and are appealing to anyone with any information to contact the police.
‘We would also like to take this opportunity to reassure the LGBT community that we are doing everything we can to arrest these men. ‘I would urge everyone who uses online dating apps and sites to take steps to help them to stay safe whilst meeting strangers.’
Police are warning men who use Grindr and other dating apps to take extra precautions – including keeping your personal details private, making sure you drink responsibly and let friends or family know where you are going and at what time you expect to be back. Their full list of tips reads: Please consider the following safety tips when using a dating app:
– Don’t share personal details such as your home address until you can trust the person you are communicating with
– If you decide to meet in person, let someone know where you are going and when you’re likely to return
– Always meet in a public place with lots of people around
– Plan your journey to and from the date in advance. If using a mini cab always pre-book
– Drink responsibly and never leave your drink unattended
– Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged and working
– If at any time your feel uncomfortable, leave the date – you are not obliged to stay
Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Anyone who has been the victim of crime through online dating can contact police or Victim Support on 0808 1689 111
