Creep of the Week - July 19, 1997
Andrew Cunanan
"At Least He's Not a Cheap Homosexual Prostitute"
It's tough to become famous in the gay serial killer business these days. Andrew Cunanan, 27,
has been on the FBI's Most
Wanted List for over a month, charged with killing four guys in three states (two of whom were
his ex-lovers) and stealing each of their
cars to drive to the next victim, but had you ever heard about him until this week? No.
His picture has been hanging up at your local Post Office, but did you ever go down there and check it out?
Apathy like that makes aspiring murderers furious!
It was only after
he walked up to Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace at his Miami Beach home and shot him twice in
the head
that Andrew was able to make front page headlines. Now he's the subject of a world-wide manhunt by
as many as 400 federal agents who are tightening airport security, distributing photographs and alerting
places frequented by homosexuals like gay bars and Disney World.
People who have known Andrew or known of him describe him with words and phrases like happy-go-lucky,
handsome, gregarious, lavish, boastful, party boy and gigolo with no visible means of support.
- Writer Maureen Orth saw both sides: "There were parts to him that were sinister. He was an intelligent
fellow who wanted to be the center of attention, but didn't want to work for it."
- Lt. Dale Barsness, head of the Minneapolis Police Department's homicide unit is respectful:
"He's not your run-of-the mill ... serial killer. He's of above-average intelligence, speaks at least four if
not more foreign languages very fluently. He's very intelligent, very cunning, a con man."
- Friend Cliff Petitt is passive: "When I met him he was very mild-mannered, soft-spoken, well dressed."
- Andrew's mother Maryann Cunanan is succinct: "A high-class homosexual prostitute."
- Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Barreto agrees with Mom: "A known male prostitute who services
upscale clientele."
- Dad Modesto Cunanan sees it a little differently: "My son is not like that. He is not a
high-class male prostitute. He had a Catholic upbringing. He was an altar boy.''
Always that religious-upbringing aspect in these cases. Speaking of which, Andrew raises a dilemma for the
Southern Baptists. "We're sort of AC/DC on this one," says a spokesman, "Killing
is sinful, being gay is sinful, but we're still awaiting a clarification from God on whether killing gays is.
They weren't persuaded to repent by
AIDS or our threats of fire and brimstone - maybe Andrew can scare them into it." Well, someone's found
the silver lining.
For now, Andrew is still on the loose. The FBI says he's a master of disguise, something they became
experts at back in the days of J. Edgar Hoover's cross-dressing parties.
Get down to that Post Office
and look at those pictures for your own protection, regardless of your sexual orientation. Stay away
from hookers of either gender, don't wear Italian suits, and think about calling your mother to
smooth out any lingering disputes.
If you make the front page bad news someday, maybe she'll be kinder to you in
the press than Andrew's mother was to him.
Let me know what you think at
montgome@servtech.com
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