If you’ve been watching American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, you’ve probably already seen how the show details the deaths of Andrew Cunanan’s final three victims, including the fashion mogul himself (who was assassinated on July 15, 1997), real estate developer Lee Miglin, and cemetery keeper William Reese.
However, Cunanan’s murderous rampage actually started in April, four months before he shot Versace, when he killed two friends, David Madson and Jeffrey Trail.
The first victim of Cunanan’s was a 28-year-old former naval officer named Jeffrey Trail. Cunanan regarded him as a close friend because he was intelligent and attractive, the result of a loving Midwestern upbringing. Trail was even referred to as “my brother” by him.
The nature of their relationship—whether romantic or not—remains a mystery, but the two met in San Diego, where Cunanan resided before beginning his killing spree. However, investigators think the two were “romantically linked.” According to rumours, they would go target shooting together; Trail was a skilled marksman and Gulf War veteran.
The family of Trail disputes any romantic involvement and asserts that Cunanan had a peculiar obsession with Trail: In the summer after the killings, Lisa Trail, one of Jeff’s sisters, told the New York Times that Andrew had to get the exact same haircut as Jeff. Andrew was required to travel to San Francisco after Jeff purchased a specific type of baseball cap.
In the spring of 1996, Trail relocated from San Diego to Minneapolis in order to take a position as a district manager for a propane company. When Cunanan announced his intention to travel there, Trail reportedly told his sister that he “didn’t want him [Cunanan] to come.” According to the New York Times, Cunanan was “terribly hurt by a breakup with Mr. Trail” because the navy veteran had begun dating.
Before and after relocating to Annapolis, Jeffrey Trail felt fear. Right before his move, a friend of his told CBS News that Trail had acquired a handgun. “I’m going to be safe, I’ve got this,” he reportedly said. Trail acknowledged to a friend a month before the murder that Cunanan had asked him to assist in his illicit business, most likely drug trafficking. Trail objected.
Andrew Cunanan, 32, and David Madson had been dating. In 1995, the two had a chance encounter in San Francisco, and their chemistry was said to be “pretty sparky.” His friends regarded Madson as charismatic, extroverted, and a “peacemaker.” He worked as an effective architect for Minneapolis’ John Ryan Company.
Evidently, the Madson led in San Francisco mesmerised Cunanan. Madson, who owned a Dalmatian named Prints, a bright red jeep, and a penchant for fine dining, according to a Washington Post article. After Madson went back to his base in Minneapolis, they still remained close.
By September 1996, their relationship had ended, and Madson had started to distance himself from Cunanan, who had referred to Madson as “the love of my life.” Soon after, Jeffrey Trail moved to Minneapolis as well, which fueled Cunanan’s paranoia and suspicion that maybe the two knew of each other.
Cunanan reportedly thought he had HIV at this time as well. A San Diego AIDS counsellor claimed that Cunanan had stopped by and inquired about the disease. According to reports, he told the therapist, “If I find out who did this to me, I’m going to get them!”
In April 1997, Cunanan visited Minneapolis and started by seeing Madson. After dinner and drinks, the two went out to dance. Trail was reportedly travelling with his new partner when Cunanan spent the first evening at Madson’s and the second at Trail’s. The following evening, Cunanan invited Trail to Madson’s, and two days later, Trail’s body was found in Madson’s apartment.
It took four days before Madson was located. About 50 miles from his home, his body was found next to a lake. He had been shot with what is thought to have been Trail’s handgun. a golden sword. The 40-cal. bullets that Cunanan used on his later victims and ultimately on himself were the same ones that were discovered lodged in Madson’s head and back.
Cunanan left obvious traces of himself. At the scene of the crime, Trail’s body led to the discovery of a duffel bag with his name on it. Trail’s home phone also had a message from Cunanan inviting him to visit Madson’s.
Outside Lee Miglin’s residence, Madson’s flashy red Jeep was left close to the scene of Cunanan’s subsequent crime. Cunanan was then sought after by investigators as the killer of all three people, but they were never able to catch up with him. The obvious hints point to the possibility that Cunanan wanted to be identified with his actions, if not necessarily to be apprehended.
This Wednesday at 10 PM EST, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story will air its depiction of these two horrifying killings on FX.
