I'm not poor. Glenn Youngkin rules out presidential campaign while in California, 7 bodies found during search for missing Oklahoma teens, US to lift most federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates next week, Multiple fatalities on Illinois highway during a blinding windstorm. And he throws it all awayhe cant tolerate the notion that he is a kept man., Indeed, in Wednesdays episode, Descent, a friend of Blachfords astutely tells Cunanan, What a volatile mix you are: too lazy to work and too proud to be kept.. 2023 San Diego Reader. Cunanan met Blachford in mid-1994. ", But the younger partner "is generally very narcissistic. ", "Younger guys are interested in older guys because of intelligence, and a lot of times older guys are more mellow about things," says the Townhouse coat check man, Duane Bousfield, 37. It's one of the hardest-type cases to treat. I said, Watch him. . View all 20 photos and documents. Andrew Cunanan. TV Shows. And then he added: I have to get out of here; theyre going to kill me.. Friends say he was having a tougher time landing the sugar daddies he sought. I have a friend who's with a sugar daddy. It's the same as Jack Kent Cooke and Marlene.". Rolando Infante, who was in the process of buying the franchise, noticed that the young man had cut his hair. Who Is Norman Blachford, Andrew Cunanan Sugar Daddy, Ive done all the things a wife is supposed to do: the house, the kids, the meals. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? Vengeful? And I agreed with him and said that the best way to handle Lincoln was to be honest with Lincoln. Norman Blachford was 58 when he met Andrew Cunanan. She explains that Blachford was impressed by Cunanans knowledge about paintings and architecture. The San Diego Reader refers to both of these men as Cunanan's "patrons," while the Washington Post deems Cunanan a "kept boy" of these men. A thick-set, glowering macho guy. Conspiracies Surrounding the Designers Death, Andrew Cunanan Wiki: The Sordid Life, Crimes, and Death of Gianni Versaces Killer, Gianni Versaces Death Timeline: When the World Lost an Iconic Designer, Justine Batemans Health: The Actress Is Choosing to Age Gracefully. (A onetime Democratic power broker who was convicted of money laundering in 1991, Silberman is the ex-husband of Mayor Susan Golding, who recently declared she was running for the U.S. Hays: Kevin had said that he had been in the military for approximately seven years, I think, and their conversation the only other thing that I heard was Lincoln asking him the question as to whether as to his sexual orientation and to what he preferred to do sexually. Said to be in his 60s, he has been mentioned in the column of Union-Tribune society writer Burl Stiff, regarded as the unofficial scribe to the city's elite and a close friend and frequent companion of David Copley, 45-year-old heir to the U-T fortune. He has not spoken to the media regarding Cunanan or their involvement. He stayed in San Diego until April, when he left for Minneapolis to visit Madson and Trail. 'Andrew and Norman were involved for about a year, much to the distress of Norman's friends, said a Blachford acquaintance who asked to remain unidentified. Jamie, 22, dressed in a Burberry blazer, sips a vodka and tonic as he watches the intergenerational pickup. Audrey's jewelry included an anthropomorphic A from the Erte alphabet," Stiff observed. Reeses red pickup truck had disappeared. Wednesdays episode House by the Lake raises one big question about Cunanans second victim. In September 1990, Aston was mentioned by Stiff again, in a column about a La Jolla party honoring Francoise Gilot, the wife of Jonas Salk. He was an opportunist who targeted and landed rich men, a bright young man who modeled himself after Richard Gere in the movie "American Gigolo," even dressing in the character's trademark tight pants and cool shades, according to Nicole Ramirez-Murray, a San Diego columnist who knew him. When complimented on a red leather jumpsuit that he wore to a school dance, he told his classmate, "My boyfriend, Antoine, bought it for me.". Details about Aston's sexual preferences surfaced during the preliminary hearing for Kevin Bond, his alleged killer, who eventually plead guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison. Defense attorney: Was Mr. Aston giving you any money during the time you were staying with him? According to Orth, Blachford told the FBI that he thought Cunanan could be hiding out in Miami. The foundation, which does not have a website, awards "modest-sized grants to LGBT organizations across the United States." Coincidentally, Blachford was one of the guests. He was considerate and polite, loud and controlling. (The book, written by Vanity Fair investigative journalist Maureen Orth, has served as the source material for the TV series.). FACT CHECK: Dave Ramsey Made a Statement About America Online, FACT CHECK: CIA Director Gina Haspel Found Dead, FACT CHECK: Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemens Clubs, Why Did Andrew Cunanan Kill Gianni Versace? [so] he goes to Minneapolis and has a breakdown, said Smith. Norman Blachford (played by Michael Nouri) is the man Andrew Cunanan was rumored to be dating before he killed his first victims, Jeffrey Trail and David Madson. He also gave Cunanan a new car, and Cunanan continued to accompany Blachford on trips. Photo: FX How did Andrew Cunanan and David Madson. He loved his 10-inch Davidoff cigars, but the only job he ever held in a vertical position was a brief stint as a drugstore clerk in San Diego. In April 1987, he was listed in a Burl Stiff column as being a committee member" for an Art Alive" floral fundraising event on behalf of the San Diego Museum of Art. Michael Nouri: Norman Blachford - IMDb They treat the boys like [dirt]. Sugar daddies and houseboys are on their way to becoming a sideshow or even a novelty, something other gays joke about. "He paid attention to them, to what they said, to what they were wearing and the cars they were driving. Investigators surmise that Cunanan heard news reports that the telephones signal had been picked up in the Philadelphia area. Stiff says he doesn't remember Blachford and only vaguely remembers hearing Aston's name in connection with the sale of a house of some La Jolla friends. On May 2, Madsons red Jeep with the Vail ski area bumper sticker was spotted heading north up Interstate 35. Gianni and Donatella Versace in New York City. The San Diego gay community can be particularly secretive, even from the inside. Defense attorney: Mr. Aston was 60 years old? Cunanan's time with Blachford is important when it comes to understanding Cunanan's . By then Aston had moved to a $575,000 condo in the 3100 block of Front Street. The corpse was taped up like a mummy, with only the nostrils showing. I think its wrong to think of him as the Talented Mr. Ripley, [the cutthroat, scheming character Patricia Highsmith created], Smith said. 5) Where he died: Body found on houseboat. "There's always going to be a small segment of the population -- gay or straight -- who are interested in much younger partners," says Kevin Neil, director of Metro Teen AIDS, a Southeast Washington service center for young people suffering from the disease. He slept with impunity in a victims Jeep parked on a Chicago street and later at a cheap Manhattan hotel. And yet, said Steven Gomer, another friend, Cunanan seemed more exuberant than he was normally--which was exuberant indeed--at the upscale bar where they all hung out. Gay military men and women based in San Diego fear their careers will be destroyed if they are discovered, as do wealthy retirees still active in political circles., As reporters from across America have descended on the village that carefully guards its secrets, even Bishop's, the $12,000-a-year prep school on La Jolla Boulevard that has produced such local lights as Union-Tribune editor Karin Winner, has not been spared. The extravagant purchase made Cunanans friends suspicious of the nature of his relationship with Blachford. Andrew Phillip Cunanan roamed Miami Beach months before killing designer Gianni Versace, authorities say, living first in a hotel that he left just days before the Versace murder, then hiding out in a houseboat where his body was found. Cunanan wanted Blachford to gift him the car, giving him an ultimatum to either do so, or end their relationship. Cunanan, 27 when he blasted a bullet through his head Wednesday afternoon, had left a trail not only of homicide but of wealthy older patrons. In the midst of the media frenzy surrounding Cunanans killing spree, Blachford was reportedly out of the country on a cruise with his longtime friend Peter Cooper, and was ambushed by reporters from the Chicago Tribune while overseas, according to the book Serial Murder and Media Circuses. I can have him and you can't. Burial was made in the cemetery at Orient. I'm not a stupid guy. Cunanan met Gianni Versace, the famous fashion designer. Every other word from his mouth was about how rich his father had been in La Jolla. , Blachford was able to look past Cunanans obvious tall tales, and see his potential. Was he tortured to reveal where he kept his cache? "The end of oppression necessitates the end of the gay sensibility," Harris writes, predicting the decline of camp, drag and homosexual overrepresentation in the arts as gays move openly into the mainstream. Another friend, a Naval officer named Jeff Trail, told Williams he worried that Cunanan, who had last been employed as a pharmacy clerk, was supporting himself by dealing drugs. The Real Story Behind Norman Blachford and Andrew Cunanan's Relationship, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Norman L. Blachford was born August 30, 1921, on a farm near Orient where he grew up. Others present included U-T columnist Neil Morgan and his wife Judith, as well as Audrey Geisel, widow of Dr. Seuss. He also gave him a car. Mr. According to the book, the pair argued over a Mercedes SL 600 convertible. However, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story shows the events that may have led to Cunanans murder spree. . That night, police believe, Madson was shot three times about five miles away at East Rush Lake. Sugar daddies come in all sexual orientations, of course. Cunanan was "a jewel in the crown of La Jolla's closeted society," says Ramirez-Murray, social columnist for the city's Gay and Lesbian Times, because the young man could hold a conversation on nearly anything -- politics, antiques, wines, Elton John. Cunanan requested a seat on the deck despite the gray, blustery day. We would prefer that he would be taken alive, he would be prosecuted and gone to jail, and maybe over time cooperated and told us why he did the things he did, said Deputy FBI Director William Esposito. Although Cunanan did not kill Blachford, he still is an essential part of the story. Blachford was just one of those men, and clearly one of the most important, if only because he was the last man Cunanan was with before his killing spree. A youthful appearance may be the only thing they have to offer. Norman Blachford Norman L. Blachford, 65, Miller, died Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1987 at his home. Andrew Cunanan boy toy for socialites Norman Blachford and Lincoln . A thick-set, glowering. Who Is Norman Blachford? - Yahoo Cunanan was at the end of a relationship too: his former flame, Lincoln Aston, had recently been bludgeoned to death by a "mentally troubled loner." Ive seen a lot of names over the 20 years I've done the column. Cunanan was known for being a cerebral and exciting bon vivant. He attributed his apparent wealth at various times to his parents, his acting career, his success in industry. It's a place where older men feel comfortable approaching men half their age. (T&C; was unable to reach Mr. Blachford for comment.). [Earlier, Hays had been asked by the defense to explain his relationship with Aston.]. The Menendez Brothers' True Story: Why They Killed Their Parents, Did Gianni Versace Have HIV? As long as you're making a purchase in that direction, who wouldn't want to sleep with a 24-year-old hardbody? Cunanan would later convince Blachford to purchase the home Aston previously lived in. You're either a recipient or a donor, one or the other. Hays: Its a gay bar where older men can meet younger men. Now the panic has eased. Blachford gave Cunanan credit cards and a monthly allowance of $2,500. He told his new friends, Cunanan met Blachford, a 58-year-old businessman based in Phoenix, at a party. At discreet private parties, attended by very wealthy men of a generation and prominence that keeps them in the closet, Andrew Cunanan was a regular, wrote the Philadelphia Inquirer. Many of Cunanans old friends and acquaintances have fled the city, reportedly because they fear the return of a man now suspected of torturing and killing his four victims in a weeklong orgy of terror. Hans Conley, 45, works in the travel industry in New York City and recently ended a relationship with a 25-year-old man who had come to New York to become a model. And some openly gay men enjoy "daddy-son" relationships as an erotic spoof of the old paradigm, Harris says. When the friend insults him, Cunanan replies by pointing to the party guests in the next room, saying, That room is full of people that love me.. "My perception is that the [younger partners] get tired of selling themselves -- and that is exactly what they are doing -- and then it becomes a type of rebellion. They sat across from each other at a picnic table and talked earnestly, sometimes smiling, sometimes touching hands, all through lunch. In the early '90s, Cunanan was invited to dinner by his friends in La Jolla. He was a flaccid conversationalist, and there was nothing really distinctive about him at all, says the man who put Cunanan and Blachford up at his house. When the 27-year-old fugitive took his life in a houseboat moored at Miami Beach, he took with him the best chance that a cross-country string of murders will ever be explained. He won the trophy. Descent provides a snapshot of Cunanan at the moment he should have been satisfied. . The two met at a bar and while they were together, they lived at Conley's apartment. Since May 12 he had been living under an assumed name in a low-rent, pink stucco, north-beachfront residence hotel, the Normandy Plaza, where he paid about $36 a day for a series of rooms. The 17th Street stabbing, the Cindy Hedgecock trip and fall. Grein: No. In Madsons Jeep, Chicago police found a map from a local tourist magazine available in hotel lobbies. The youngish Cunanan regaled his audience about a jet-setting life and an aristocratic background, the former made possible by Norman Blachford, an arts supporter who counted the Phoenix Symphony as one of his causes," the Arizona Republic reported last week. But after watching H, This story contains spoilers for Prime Videos Swarm. Cunanan, 27 when he blasted a bullet through his head Wednesday afternoon, had left a trail not only of homicide but of wealthy older patrons. He looked over his shoulder every time the front door opened. But the man said he panicked and fled when his impromptu date threatened him. [Later, on cross-examination, Hays was asked to explain the meaning of bottom.]. Norman Blachford was 58 when he met Andrew Cunanan. According to Orths reporting, Cunanan complained to friends about Blachfords cheapness, and suggested that he was actually doing Blachford a favor by being his companionalleging that the relationship disqualified him from a (fictional) large family inheritance. Cunanan was a habitual liar, exaggerating his background and frequently pretending to be independently wealthy. Andrew Cunanan's timing could not have been better for meeting the then 58-year-old conservative and reserved Phoenix-native. Though Cunanan told several friends that the relationship ended over Norman's lack of generosity (according to the LA Times, Blachford denied Cunanan a Mercedes), it seems it was really because Cunanan grew interested in David Madson, who would eventually become the second victim in Cunanan's killing spree. At the start of their relationship, Blachford still lived in Phoenix, an hours plane ride away from La Jolla. "Strictly as a hunch," he reportedly said. His battles with the church arent over, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, U.N. envoy says Sudans warring sides agree to negotiate, Yellen says U.S. could hit debt ceiling as soon as June 1, U.S. says 20,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war since December, Speaker Kevin McCarthy addresses Knesset amid fraught U.S.-Israel ties, First Republic: Cheap, interest-only jumbo mortgages to Silicon Valleys elite fueled the banks failure. By that point, Cunanan had made a name for himself among the wealthy gay elite of San Diego, California. He had been able to convince Blachford to sell his property in Scottsdale, Arizonaas he told his friends, he disliked the climate and allergies he suffered in Arizonaand eventually upgrade the La Jolla home to a handsome property atop Mount Soledad, overlooking the bay. Some of Cunanans friends in San Francisco say he reveled in the great sex he said he enjoyed with Madson. He told Williams on the telephone that he and Andrew had had a huge falling out and he said he would never speak to him again. When Williams asked why, Trail was evasive, saying only that he was sick of all the lies, all the b.s., all the stories., He wanted to return to San Diego; he was sick of the harsh weather, he told Williams. It makes you wonder whats going on. And eventually I was the one who had to pay for it.". The series takes inspiration from Maureen Orths book, Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History. . Though Cunanan had visited Chicago with Blachford, and Miglins son Duke lives in California, the Miglins reiterated on Thursday that Cunanan had no connection whatsoever to anyone in the family. I dont think he understood that he was a hustler, otherwise he wouldve been happy with his lot.. But first, he had some business to take care of in Minneapolis. Though Cunanan denied having sex with Blachford, another friend, Robbins Thompson, told Orth he believed they were sexually intimate. : Andrew Cunanan's Relationship with Norman Blachford. He always carried a backpack. I feel like all the other cast members have said something, It has recently dawned on Camila Morrone what an odd and challenging thing it is to be a photographer. If you're tuning in to the new episode of The Assassination of Gianni Versace on Wednesday, you will be introduced to Andrew Cunanan's ex Norman Blachford, a retired millionaire who funded. The same friend alleged that Cunanan could hold a conversation on nearly anythingpolitics, antiques, wines, Elton John. A year after Cunanan moved in with Blachford, their relationship seemed to go downhill. Not only is Cunanan the son of a Prospect Street stockbroker who purportedly swindled thousands of dollars from his clients, but in newspaper accounts from Houston to Minneapolis, the 27-year-old Bishops School track star is being linked to some of the village's wealthiest and most influential denizens, both living and dead. virus in the second episode of. Fishermen discovered the body near Jeep tracks in the grass. Another friend of Cunanan's claims that the master bedroom the two shared had twin beds in it, and that Cunanan insisted their relationship was nonsexual: "He doesn't expect that, he doesn't want that," Cunanan reportedly told his friend Shane O'Brien. Norman lived in Miller, South Dakota 57362, USA. [Later, Adam Grein, who had been living with Aston at the time of the murder, was called to the stand.]. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cunanan would often travel from San Diego to Blachfords Phoenix home. The Washington Post reports that Blachford financed Cunanan on an allowance of $2,500 a month including a 1996 Infiniti I30T, frequent trips to New York City to see Broadway shows, and vacations in Paris and the south of France. Cunanan walked away with the Infiniti Blachford bought him, and moved into his friends condo. At that time, Blachford was single after losing of his long-term partner to AIDS. . The duo are also relatively active on the social scene in La Jolla, appearing together at a number of philanthropy and high-society events. According to ABC News, Blachford, was. Cunanan organized a trip to Europe for them, and astounded Blachford with how much he knew about cities and architecture. Rather, they liked to tell themselves, they were passing the time pleasantly with a charming, good-looking young man whom they rewarded with gifts and money. I've been cautioned by friends to keep my doors locked.' How old are you? He has Italian movie star looks. Cunanan made his mercenary leanings clear. Who Is Norman Blachford, Andrew Cunanan Sugar Daddy - Refinery29 Versace: Andrew Cunanan's Relationship with Norman Blachford [A short time later, Hays testified about a conversation he overheard between Aston and Bond.]. Lifetime Movies Conrad & Michelle: If Words Could Kill Cast, Plot, & Release Date. He apparently high-tailed it to Miami Beach, where Versace was king of the gay-trendy-fashion Art Deco zone. ", The Caliph in Hillcrest is "a gay bar where older men can meet younger men. Serial Killer #7: Andrew Cunanan - Brianna's Blog Dont miss out. The vehicle was gone. And he should have been recognized. InsidePhilanthropy.com suggests that Blachford and the aforementioned Cooper established a charity, The Blachford-Cooper Foundation, in 2000. He did not display any personal effects except for a plastic cup on a table filled with loose change. Dead Men Tell No Tales - Time Qualif. In the book, Orth explained why they gravitated towards each other. Within 20 minutes, the young men slip out of the bar -- accompanied by the elderly gent. Without hesitation, the friend replies, Then that room is full of people who dont know you. And for a split second, before shifting back into delusion autopilot, even Cunanan seems to agree. But was the character created for the FX series or did Andrew Cunanan really live with a Norman? In the early 90s, Cunanan was invited to dinner by his friends in La Jolla. But sugar-daddy relationships inevitably falter, Conley believes.