San Francisco

SF Police Increase ‘Doodler' Case Reward, Identify Another Possible Victim

NBC Universal, Inc.

San Francisco police on Thursday doubled the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the "Doodler," a notorious serial killer who terrorized the city's gay community in the 1970s, and identified a possible sixth victim in the case.

Police increased the reward from $100,000 to $200,000. The potential sixth victim was identified as Warren Andrews, who was assaulted at Land's End in April 1975, police said. He was found unconscious and died several weeks later.

Thursday's announcements come 47 years to the day of the first "Doodler" homicide, police said.

Back in the mid-1970s, San Francisco police investigated a series of violent assaults against gay men.

One of the victims told police that the suspect said he was a cartoonist and was doodling while talking with the victim at a diner, thus resulting in the suspect being deemed the "Doodler."

During the same time frame, the bodies of five gay men were found in the area of Ocean Beach and Golden Gate Park, according to police.

"Throughout the years it was believed that there were five homicide victims. As a result of a new investigation, it is believed that Warren Andrews may be the sixth victim of the same suspect," police said in a statement.

Investigators believe the same suspect is behind the "Doodler" assaults and the homicides, police said.

A suspect was detained in 1976, but they were never charged, according to police.

The cold case remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call San Francisco police at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and start the message with SFPD.

Contact Us