Today is Friday, October 8th, 2021. On this day in 2006, Michael Sandy died after four

attackers attempted to rob him because he was gay. The murder was deemed a hate crime.

Welcome to today in True Crime, a Spotify original from Parcast. Due to the graphic nature

of these crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of death

and assault that some people may find disturbing, we advise extreme caution

for children under 13. Today we're covering the tragic death of Michael Sandy, who, according to court

testimony, was targeted for his sexuality. Now let's go back to October 8, 2006, to an out-of-the-way parking lot in Brooklyn.

20-year-old Anthony Fortunato thought he had an airtight plan.

He was gay himself and not out.

He'd been using the internet to lure men to clandestine sex in motels.

While they were in the bathroom, he'd steal

their belongings and run. According to court documents, Fortunato saw other gay men as easy targets.

Because many of the people he met were similarly still hiding their sexuality, he didn't think

they'd report the crime. He and his friends also held some misconceptions and stereotypes about queer men.

They assumed their victims would be less likely to physically resist a robbery.

Though he kept his sexual interactions secret,

Fortunato told several friends about the people he targeted on the internet.

He and his buddy, John Fox, started patrolling gay chat rooms using a fake identity.

They hoped to find other Brooklyn residents to victimize.

In October of 2006, they finally got another hit.

Michael Sandy was 29 years old, black, queer, and a Williamsburg

resident. Fortunato and Fox recruited two more men for their scheme, Elia Shurav and Gary Timmons.

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