Cannibal killer lured victim on a dating app then ate his genitals

Kevin Bacon went on a date believing he'd be safe but met a gruesome death

- GAIL SHORTLAND

At over 6ft tall, often with brightly coloured hair, Kevin Bacon stood out from the crowd. The flamboyant hairdresser loved to express himself through his creative wardrobe. As well as working his way up from a receptionist to a stylist at his local salon, Kevin, 25, also studied psychology at the University of Michigan-Flint where he volunteered as a peer educator in the gender and sexuality centre.

He appeared to be full of confidence, and was a familiar face in the small suburb of Swartz Creek, Michigan. But Kevin longed to be part of a bigger gay community where he could meet more people that he could relate to. He was saving up to move to Chicago to be near friends.

The dating app Grindr, used predominantly by the LGBTQ+ community, was a welcome distraction for Kevin. He’d tell his friends about the encounters he’d had after chatting with men on the app. Kevin had suffered some mental health problems over the years and his friends knew that he was searching for acceptance and, ultimately, love.

On 24 December 2019, Kevin told his housemate Michelle that he’d been on Grindr and had matched with a date. At around 5pm, he got in his car and set off.

The next morning, on Christmas Day, Kevin’s family waited for him to arrive for a prearranged festive breakfast, but he didn’t show up. Concerned, they reported him missing and his roommate confirmed that he hadn’t returned the previous night after heading out to meet a stranger.