Grindr murderer pleads insanity after ‘mutilating and consuming the testicles’ of Kevin Bacon
Hairstylist Kevin Bacon, left, and his murderer Mark Latunski. (Facebook/Shiawassee County Jail)
Judges have granted a Michigan man, accused of killing 25-year-old Kevin Bacon in a grisly Grindr date-turned cannibalistic murder, an insanity plea.
Mark Latunski has been accused of murdering and mutilating the hairstylist on Christmas Eve in a chilling case that rippled across the LGBT+ community.
The 50-year-old’s defence requested their client undergo competency and forensic evaluations, granted by the Shiawassee County judge during the brief January 8 hearing, abc12 reported.
What happened?
Courts heard the grotesque details of the married man of four killed, strung Bacon up by the ankles and cannibalised him.
His naked body was found days after his death on December 28. Hanging from the ceiling, investigators alleged Latunski stabbed Bacon in the back, slit his throat and ate parts of his body including his testicles.
When Bacon didn’t arrive at his parent’s place on Christmas Day, his family reported him missing, court transcripts stated.
Local law enforcement searched Latunski’s home on December 28 after evidence indicated Bacon had been at the residence.
Latunski attended the probable cause conference in 6th District Court in Corunna via video feed, while his lawyers submitted the motion for the exams.
Alleged Grindr killer claims his name is not ‘Mark’, but ‘Edgar’.
His attorney, Shiawassee County public defender Doug Corwin, explained Latunski had to complete mental competency exams in prior cases and undergo treatment as a result.
Moreover, his attorney said, Latunski said his name is “Edgar Thomas Hill”. Something the suspect said during his arraignment on December 30.
The judge’s order called for Latunski to be moved from the Shiawassee County Jail, where he’s being held without bond, to the Centre for Forensic Psychiatry near Saline for the evaluations.
He will have within the next 60 days to complete the examinations. Psychiatrists will determine whether Latunski is fit to stand trial.
If not, he will have to remain in custody at a mental treatment facility until he is competent enough.
“Theoretically, if he was found incompetent, he’d be hospitalized in a controlled setting as long as it takes,” Corwin said.
“They would have to find him not to be a danger to release and I can’t guess how long that’ll take.”
However, the attorney added that the process may take some time.
“In my experience, especially a case like this, it’s going to take a little longer,” Corwin contained.
“The Forensic Center is pretty backed up right now, so there’s a delay in getting people down there to get evaluated.”
