Between 1974 and 1975 a serial killer was believed to be targeting members of the LGBTQ community in San Francisco. The suspect was believed to go to bars and diners, and sketch caricature and cartoons on napkins, he would then approach men and strike up a conversation. He would eventually leave with those men, only to end up stabbing and killing them. Since he was known for drawing and sketching before killing his victims, the suspect became known as “The Doodler”. 5 men were found stabbed to death and a 6th was later tied to the case, however to this day, the killer, or the “doodler’s” identity is unknown.
If you have any information about murders connected to the Doodler, please call the San Francisco PD’s 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444 or text them at TIP411. You can remain anonymous. There is a $250,000 reward for information leading to the solving of the cases.
Sources:
Fagan, Kevin. “The Doodler: Drawing a line to a forgotten serial killer”. San Francisco Chronicle. Mar 16, 2021. https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/doodler-true-crime-podcast/chapter-one. Accessed Nov 28, 2025.
Fagan, Kevin. “One Man’s American Dream Ends in His Bloody Death.” San Francisco Chronicle. Mar 23, 2021. https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/doodler-true-crime-podcast/chapter-two. accessed Nov 28, 2025.
Fagan, Kevin. “The Doodler: Killer notches fifth victim — then he gets sloppy”. San Francisco Chronicle. April 6, 2021. https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/doodler-true-crime-podcast/chapter-four. accessed Nov 29, 2021.
Fagan, Kevin. “The Doodler: Sketch snares suspects, but cases far from solved”. San Francisco Chronicle. April 13, 2021. https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/doodler-true-crime-podcast/chapter-five. accessed Nov 29, 2025.
Madani, Doha. “ Possible new victim in 'Doodler' serial killer case announced; San Francisco police raise reward to $200,000”. NBC News. Jan 27, 2022. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/san-francisco-police-announce-possible-new-victim-doodler-serial-kille-rcna13836. Accessed Nov 29, 2025.
Pelisek, Christine. “ Inside the Hunt for San Francisco's Notorious Doodler Serial Killer: 'His Victims Deserve Justice'”. People. Feb 23, 2023. https://people.com/crime/inside-hunt-san-franciscos-notorious-doodler-serial-killer/. Accessed Nov 28, 2025.
“Doodler”. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doodler. Accessed Nov 28, 2025.
Watt, Nick. “This serial murder case has been cold for more than 40 years. Now police say they have a suspect”. CNN. June 21, 2018. https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/20/us/doodler-cold-case-murders/. Accessed Nov 29, 2025.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.