HBO’s Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York delves into the brutal murderer who targeted gay men in the 1990s. The four-part documentary series was directed by Pride‘s Anthony Caronna and features interviews with activists, investigators, and family members who were involved in the search for the serial killer.
The docuseries is based on Elon Green’s bestseller and is executive produced by Howard Gertler, Charlize Theron, Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin, and Kate Barry.
HBO released the following description of the docuseries:
“In the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsens, a serial killer preys upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims. A gripping, investigative crime story, Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York also dives deeply into the prejudices and attitudes of the times, when deep-rooted biases in the criminal justice system and the media’s distorted public perception of the victims undermined the investigation and enabled a brutal killer to prey on a marginalized populace.
The complexities of the closet combined with a long-standing mistrust of law enforcement further complicated the case. It also highlights the heroic efforts of activists, including the NYC Anti-Violence Project, to force law enforcement to recognize and protect the queer community.”
Last Call Episode Descriptions
- Episode 1
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m. p.m. ET/PT)
When a dismembered body is found in New Jersey in 1992, the crime scene poses striking similarities to a murder a year prior — a case that went cold. Both victims were affluent and closeted men, last seen at a piano bar in Manhattan. The Anti-Violence Project pushes the police to investigate a potential serial killer stalking gay men in New York City. - Episode 2
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m. p.m. ET/PT)
A third victim is part of the world of the queer community’s most vulnerable population: sex workers of color. While the AVP is pressuring the NYPD and media to connect the murders, another piece of evidence leads investigators to Staten Island. - Episode 3
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m. p.m. ET/PT)
A clear pattern of a serial killer emerges with a fourth murder, prompting the creation of a multi-jurisdictional task force and the first coverage from national newspapers. An eyewitness leads to a huge break: a potential name and description of the suspect. - Episode 4
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 30 (9:00-10:00 p.m. p.m. ET/PT)
A break in forensic technology leads investigators to a suspect: a nurse living on Staten Island. The next step is to decipher his past — a quest that takes them back almost 30 years to a murder in Maine — and to make sure he doesn’t evade justice.
