Some of the most impactful docu-series are those that hold up a magnifying glass to the issue of social injustice and inequality, but the latest HBO series ‘The Last Call‘ focuses on the LGBTQ+ community. It tells the story of a serial killer who targeted gay men in a series of brutal murders and dismemberments in the 1990s. Featuring interviews with victims’ family members, partners, police officers, and LGBTQ+ activists, this docu-series brings out a spine-chilling shudder among the viewers.
The docuseries is based on ‘Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York’ which is a 2021 non-fiction book penned by Elon Green. ‘Based on a true story’ tag is only enough to get the fans curious about the subject presented in any docu-series. As ‘The Last Call’ showcases the story of the serial killer hunting guy men, here’s everything to know about him.
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Who Was Richard Rogers?
Richard Rogers, the name that startled the people of New York in the late 20th century. His heinous crimes shook the nation especially let the LGBTQ+ community terrorized. Rogers was the eldest of five children born to a family in Plymouth, Massachusetts. As per his trial transcripts, Rogers formerly worked as a nurse at Mount Sinai Medical Center and lived in Staten Island. It was in the 90s that he earned the nickname of The Last Call Killer as he targeted gay and bisexual men.
Richard Rogers only targeted vulnerable gay men, usually preying upon their marginalized status and the stigma around their sexuality. He targeted individuals who regularly visited the gay scene in New York City, seeking companionship and acceptance in clubs, bars, and other meeting places. Rogers would use his charm and manipulation to gain his victims’ trust before subjecting them to dreadful brutality.
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Who Were Richard Rogers’ Victims?
The Last Call killer is suspected to have murdered four gay and bisexual men between 1991 and 1993, however, the police only found enough evidence to convict him of two crimes. The first victim is revealed to be Peter Stickney Anderson who was murdered in May 1991 and Thomas Richard Mulcahy killed brutally in July 1992. The first episode of the crime series covers the story of both the victims.
Moving on to the second episode of the ‘Last Call’, unravels the story of the third victim Anthony Edward Marrero, whose remains were found in plastic bags on May 10, 1993. And the third episode highlights Michael J. Sakara’s last seen location on July 30, 1993. However, due to the discriminatory attitudes and homophobia within law enforcement, the murders were overlooked as disappearances attributed to a suspected covert world of drugs and promiscuity instead of the frightening crimes of a serial killer.
What Happened To The Last Call Killer?
The serial killer was arrested in 2001 after the investigators used fingerprint technology to match his prints with those on a plastic bag carrying a victim found in Ocean County. Rogers is currently serving two consecutive life sentences in prison for the murders of Thomas Richard Mulcahy and Anthony Edward Marrero.
In May of 2001, it was like a dead end for The Last Call Killer. Richard Rogers was interviewed by police claiming that they were looking into a credit card fraud case. However, by that time, the police were convinced of Rogers’ involvement with the murders just when he demanded a lawyer. Immediately a search of his home was conducted and the law enforcement found evidence tied him up to the murders. Evidence including drugs, plastic bags, and carpet fibers was used in the case against him.
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