SAN FRANCISCO—Officials form the San Francisco Police Department provided an update on Wednesday, February 6 at 2 p.m. during a news conference at Police Headquarters to provide the community with an update on the “Doodler” cold case from the 1970s.
The SFPD indicated during the news conference that homicide investigators released new details including a reward, an age progression sketch of the suspect based on a 1975 forensic sketch and audio from a January 27, 1974 call to the SFPD dispatch of a body along Ocean Beach.
During the 70s, the SFPD investigated violent assaults of gay white males. At least one victim provided details to police that led to a forensic sketch of the suspect. The Police Department’s forensic sketch artist completed an age progression sketch that shows what the suspect may look like today. The sketches are part of an SFPD Crime Bulletin including a $100,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the assault suspect.
One of the victims informed police that the suspect indicated he was a cartoonist and was doodling while talking to the victim late at night at a diner. Those details led authorities to coin the suspect as “The Doodler.” The SFPD detained a suspect in the case in 1976, but that individual was never charged.
During the string of attacks, five males were found murdered in the Ocean Beach/Golden Gate Park area. Authorities found four of the victims near the beach and one was found in the park. After one of the homicides, an unidentified individual contacted the SFPD dispatch reporting a body.
Connections between the “Doodler” attacks and the five murders led investigators in the SFPD Homicide / Cold Case Unit to think the same suspect is responsible for both the attacks and murders.
The SFPD Homicide Detail is actively working on this cold case. Anyone with details about any of the attacks, the murders or the suspect is asked to call the SFPD 24 hour tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
Written By Casey Jacobs
