Chapter 113: Blood in the Hudson-The Bag Murders, Addison Verrill, and The Exorcist Curse

The Book of the Dead

In the 1970s, New York's LGBTQ Community was gripped by fear; from a string of grisly unsolved killings known as the “Bag Murders,” to the shocking murder of film critic Addison Verrill, and whispers of a Hollywood curse surrounding The Exorcist. At the center of these intersecting stories stands Paul Bateson, a man described as handsome and charismatic, yet linked to both cinema lore and real-life violence. In one of New York City's darkest chapters, fact and fiction collided, spawning an evil that was very much rooted in reality.
Connect with us on Social Media!
You can find us at:
Instagram: @bookofthedeadpod
X: @bkofthedeadpod
Facebook: The Book of the Dead Podcast
TikTok: Bookofthedeadpod
Or visit our website at www.botdpod.com
Featuring a promo for Rogue Darkness Podcast
Welcome to Rogue Darkness! Let’s talk about how misinterpretations and misinformation surrounding witchcraft, the occult, and other beliefs have lead many to do unthinkable crimes. From cults and ritualistic killings, to exploration of the macabre and delving deep into the unknown, let’s explore the darkness of mankind one crime at a time!
Listen here
A pride guide to gay Greenwich Village. (n.d.). https://www.incentravillage.com/a-gay-pride-guide-to-greenwich-villageAddison Harding Verrill Jr. (1941-1977) - Find a. . . (1941a, August 11). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22207547/addison_harding-verrill
Associated press. (1979, April 7). Police tie homosexual killings to slaying of Variety film critic. Newsday, 15.Bono, S. (2021, July 2). How the Bag Murders and the Last Call Killer Put in Focus the Dangers the New York LGBTQ+ Community Faces. Inside Edition. https://www.insideedition.com/how-the-bag-murders-and-the-last-call-killer-put-in-focus-the-dangers-the-new-york-lgbtq-communityContreras, C. (2025, January 28). The exorcist cast endured deaths, fires and more mishaps - was the set haunted? SYFY. https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/was-the-exorcist-set-really-cursed-and-hauntedGrey, O. (2019, August 19). One Day This City’s Gonna Explode: Friedkin’s Cruising (1980) on Blu-ray. Unwinnable. https://unwinnable.com/2019/08/19/cruising/Hardwick, C. (2021, October 27). QUEER CRIME: The legend of the serial killer who was in 'The Exorcist' IN Magazine. https://inmagazine.ca/2021/10/queer-crime-the-legend-of-the-serial-killer-who-was-in-the-exorcist/Martin, & Roland. (2023, September 22). The Exorcist | Summary, Cast, Curse, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Exorcist-film-by-FriedkinMcKennett, H. (2024, February 27). Paul Bateson: the “Mindhunter” murderer who appeared in “The Exorcist.”All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/paul-batesonMiller, M. (2018a, October 25). Searching for the truth about the actual murderer in the exorcist. Esquire. https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a23724262/paul-bateson-the-exorcist-murderer-true-story/Miller, M. (2018b, October 25). Searching for the truth about the actual murderer in the exorcist. Esquire. https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a23724262/paul-bateson-the-exorcist-murderer-true-story/Murderer of a Writer Is Implicated in Cases Of Unsolved Slayings. (1979, April 7). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/04/07/archives/murderer-of-a-writer-is-implicated-in-cases-of-unsolved-slayings-he.htmlProfessional, C. C. M. (2024, December 19). Angiogram. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4977-angiographySUSPECT HELD IN KILLING OF REPORTER FOR VARIETY. (1977, September 24). New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/24/archives/suspect-held-in-killing-of-reporter-for-variety.htmlThe Crooked Timber: A Conversation with William Friedkin. (2012, August 13). MUBI. https://mubi.com/en/notebook/posts/the-crooked-timber-a-conversation-with-william-friedkinThe Exorcist. (1974). Castle of Frankenstein, 22, 30–37. https://archive.org/details/Castle_of_Frankenstein_022_whole_Vol6n2_1974c2cChersUsedRazor-DREGS/page/36/mode/2upThe Village Voice - Google News Archive Search. (n.d.-a). https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1299&dat=19771031&id=-QBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=94sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6360,2217416The Village Voice - Google News Archive Search. (n.d.-b). https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AXRhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OYsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5662%2C5217392The Village Voice - Google News Archive Search. (n.d.-c). https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9gBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=94sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4659%2C4348Velkova, V. (2024, May 17). Paul Bateson, From “The Exorcist” To A Murderer. Medium. https://medium.com/@victoria.vlkva/paul-bateson-from-the-exorcist-to-a-murderer-cf8fefef34f2Villarreal, D. (2019, September 8). Netflix’s ‘Mindhunter’ presents the scary, mysterious story of a real-life gay serial killer. LGBTQnation. https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/09/netflixs-mindhunter-presents-scary-mysterious-story-real-life-gay-serial-killer/