True Crime All The Time

Episode: Mark Latunski (Released: March 10, 2025)

Overview

In this unsettling episode, hosts Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson (aka Gibby) examine the chilling case of Mark Latunski, a Michigan man convicted of the gruesome 2019 murder of Kevin Bacon (not the actor, but a local man). The episode delves into both victim and perpetrator’s backgrounds, the series of failures leading up to the crime, disturbing details of the murder, and the systemic factors that may have enabled the crime to happen. With their characteristic balance of seriousness and dark humor, Mike and Gibby break down the timeline, the personalities involved, and the lasting impact of the case.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Was Kevin Bacon?

(03:32–13:58)

• Background:

  • Born in 1994, Lansing, MI. Close-knit family, loving and supportive.
  • Stood out for his flamboyant style: "Everyone knew Kevin. He’s big, tall, and usually had something crazy going on." (06:08, quote from Sarah Hope Spencer)
  • Pursued hairstyling despite his father's push for a technical trade.
  • Struggled financially and with mental health: depression, body image, self-harm, and difficulty finding acceptance in relationships and community.
  • Was excited about possibly moving to Chicago for a more welcoming LGBTQ community but delayed by finances.

• Personal Issues:

  • Periods of severe depression and hospitalizations (11:15–12:44).
  • Used dating apps frequently, sometimes seeking distraction or love after relationship disappointments.
  • "Kevin's biggest thing was he just always wanted to feel loved and he never felt accepted by, you know, men" (15:16, quote from Vanessa Woodley).
  • Just started a new job and had plans for the future at the time of his death.

2. The Fatal Encounter

(18:20–22:00)

• Christmas Eve 2019:

  • Kevin skipped Christmas Eve dinner with family due to tensions.
  • Connected with Mark Latunski on Grindr and left home intending to meet him for sex.
  • Last heard from at 6:12pm; missed Christmas breakfast, which alarmed his family.

• Initial Search:

  • Car found at a Family Dollar, phone and wallet left inside—an immediate red flag for foul play according to the hosts.
    • "Why would somebody leave their phone and wallet behind? That never, you know, really makes sense to me." (21:20, Mike Ferguson)

3. Who Was Mark Latunski?

(24:36–36:03)

• Background:

  • Former chemist, good student (valedictorian, master’s in chemistry), raised in a rural 4H family.
  • History of severe, untreated mental illness: major depression with psychotic features, paranoid schizophrenia, adjustment disorder, and borderline personality traits.
  • Mental health drastically declined after 2010, resulting in erratic, delusional behavior, estrangement from family, and loss of jobs and marriages.
  • "He just thought everyone was out to get him." (35:07, colleague’s perspective)
  • Frequently failed to take prescribed medication, further endangering himself and others.

• Predatory Behavior & Escalation:

  • Had already been reported to police twice in 2019 for locking men up in his basement during consensual BDSM encounters gone awry.
  • Used several aliases, including "Wulk Olikos Vilkas" on Grindr.
  • Built a dedicated “kill room” in his basement described as having “caged, tamper-resistant lights, a 4-inch thick insulated door, and sliding barn door.” (41:23)

4. Escaped Victims and Missed Red Flags

(38:13–48:48)

• James Carlson Incident (October 2019):

  • Traveled from NY to Michigan after cannibalistic sexual chats.
  • Woke up chained in the basement; escaped with a butcher knife and called 911.
    • “I’m trying to escape from some guy who had me chained up in his basement.” (38:13, James Carlson 911 call).
  • Did not pursue charges, later described it as sexual foreplay to avoid further involvement.
  • Hosts question whether shame or fear prevented full reporting, drawing parallels to other cases where gay men’s victimization is minimized.

• Second Escaped Victim (November 2019):

  • Young man (29) runs, bloodied, from Latunski’s house; neighbor describes him and Mark in elaborate leather/BDSM attire.
  • Police did not pursue the case as neither victim pressed charges—possibly due to stigma or personal reasons.
    • "You have individuals who are gay who get preyed upon ... and for whatever reason, they're reluctant to press charges." (44:36, Mike Ferguson)
  • Hosts note that if the victim were a woman, police would likely have investigated the house.

5. The Murder and Investigation

(49:32–53:21)

• Discovery:

  • Police visit Latunski on Dec 27 after a tip from Kevin's roommate, Michelle, who accessed Kevin's Grindr and learned about a serial predator in the area.
  • Latunski readily lets police in; Kevin's mutilated body is found hanging upside down in the basement.
  • Latunski confesses to stabbing, killing, castrating, and eating parts of Kevin, claiming it was at Kevin's request.

• Confessions and Mangled Defense:

  • Latunski cycles through fake names when speaking with police.
  • Admits to cannibalism: “He used a knife to cut off Kevin’s testicles and eat them.” (52:18)
  • Claimed a suicide pact, but this is contradicted by messages and the victim's plans for the future.
    • “I had a hard time believing Kevin would have entered into a suicide pact with anyone… things were starting to look up for him…” (70:57, Carl Bacon, Kevin’s father)

6. Systemic Failures & Social Commentary

(62:22–64:31, 76:59–78:13)

• Hosts question if bias played a role in police inaction after previous victims escaped:
  • “Is it because it’s just gay guys doing stuff in a basement? What would have happened if a girl was chained in the basement...?” (63:18, Michelle Myers, Kevin’s roommate)
• Reference to Jeffrey Dahmer case as another example of authorities ignoring LGBTQ victims.
• Defense attorney, family, and friends all dispute Latunski’s narrative of a consensual or suicidal act.

7. Legal Proceedings & Aftermath

(57:18–72:03)

• Latunski initially found incompetent to stand trial, then declared fit after treatment.
• Pleaded guilty to open murder and mutilation of a body (against his attorneys’ wishes).
• Judge rules first-degree murder—mandatory life sentence without parole.
• "The court finds that this is a crime of cold calculation. Kevin Bacon’s death was Mark Latunsky’s design." (73:29, Judge Matthew Stewart)
• Ongoing trauma for the victim’s family, particularly regarding misrepresentations of consent or suicide in the case.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Discussion of Kevin’s mental health and hope for future:
  “He was planning on going back to school in January. He had just started a new job, and so things were starting to look up for him…” (70:57, Carl Bacon, Kevin’s father)

• On cannibalistic sexual chats:
  “There’s a lot of different conversations you can have with people online ... When you start to mix sexual fantasies and cannibalism. Well, now I think you ventured into a very strange area.” (40:12, Mike Ferguson)

• On police disregard of LGBTQ victims:
  “...if it was a woman and she said, well, you know, it got out of hand. I don't really want to press charges. But she did say she was chained up in the basement. I think they would have went and checked on it.” (77:14, Mike Gibson)

• On grief and aftermath:
  “It’s gut wrenching to hear the details, and we’re just beside ourselves. What was released Monday shows that Kevin had a dark side. He obviously got into something that he wasn’t prepared for.” (74:51, Kevin’s father, Carl Bacon)

• Hosts’ Dark Humor:
  “A kill room? You want to come over and check it out? I’m not sure he said he had a kill room before the guy got there…” (42:10, Mike Ferguson) “I do think that this Mark Latunski was a predator ... how many more victims could this guy have?” (76:24, Mike Ferguson)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 03:32 – Start of Mark Latunski story
• 06:08 – Description of Kevin Bacon’s personality
• 11:15 – Deep dive into Kevin’s mental health struggles
• 15:16 – On Kevin’s relationship difficulties
• 21:20 – Family discovers car, phone, and wallet
• 24:36 – Introduction to Mark Latunski’s criminal background
• 38:13 – 911 call from James Carlson, escaped victim
• 41:23 – Latunski’s kill room described
• 49:32 – Police discover Kevin’s body, Mark confesses
• 52:18 – Explicit description of murder and cannibalism
• 57:18 – Mark’s competency hearings and guilty plea
• 63:18 – Roommate Michelle Myers on police bias
• 70:57 – Kevin’s father on his son’s future hopes
• 73:29 – Judge’s verdict and sentencing
• 77:14 – Analysis of systemic failures

Episode Takeaways

• The murder of Kevin Bacon was a tragic intersection of personal vulnerability, untreated mental illness, predatory behavior, and systemic blindness to at-risk gay men.
• Mark Latunski’s documented history strongly suggests police and mental health systems could have intervened earlier.
• The case highlights ongoing societal bias and the special risks LGBTQ individuals face when their victimization is dismissed or under-investigated.
• Listeners are reminded that, while BDSM and kink are not in themselves dangerous, entrusting physical safety to strangers—especially with clear warning signs—can have fatal consequences.

Hosts’ final thoughts:
Mark Latunski was a predator enabled by his community’s indifference and own declining mental health, who will now likely spend the rest of his life in prison. The episode calls for greater awareness, less stigma, and better institutional follow-up—because lives, like Kevin Bacon’s, are at stake.

[End of Summary]