Why Did Andrew Cunanan Go on a Killing Spree?

From Harper's BAZAAR

The story of Andrew Cunanan's killing spree, which ended with his suicide in July 1997 after he murdered five people including fashion designer Gianni Versace, is the subject of this season of American Crime Story.

In addition to exploring the life of Versace and Cunanan's other victims, the show is also taking a close look at the man behind the murders. So, why did Andrew Cunanan go on a killing spree? The definitive answer to that question died with the Cunanan - especially given his reputation as a notorious liar - but there are several theories.

1) Key relationships in his life had broken down.

In April and May 1997, Cunanan murdered his first two victims in Minnesota: his friend, Jeffrey Trail, and his ex-boyfriend, David Madson. Trail was a former Naval officer, while Madson was an architect whom Cunanan called "the love of my life."

According to Vanity Fair, Cunanan's relationships with these men had soured in the weeks and months leading up to the murders. Neither man wanted Cunanan, whom they suspected was involved in illegal activity, to visit them in Minneapolis.

The New York Times reported in 1997 that investigators believed that Cunanan and Trail "were romantically linked, at least for a time, while they were living in San Diego." If true, then Cunanan was intimate with both of his first two victims. Vanity Fair theorized that Cunanan suspected something was going on between them: "Cunanan may have been jealous, or suspicious that Madson and Trail were gossiping about him behind his back."

ABC News reported that Cunanan's former roommate revealed that the killer "loved David Madson very, very much... David didn’t want anything to do with him. I mean, David was Andrew’s life." It's possible Cunanan's deteriorating relationships and/or his perception of a romantic slight contributed to his motive.

2) He might have had an undiagnosed mental illness.

According to Newsweek, mental illness ran in Cunanan's family, and many believe he suffered from antisocial personality disorder.

Former FBI criminal profiler Candice DeLong told ABC News, "Andrew's self-worth was tied to the finer things in life... Being accepted in high society and by wealthy people was what he expected. If he didn't get them, he was lost."

In the months prior to his spree, Vanity Fair reports, Cunanan seemed to spiral. He was devastated Madson seemed to have a new boyfriend, and he told his roommate he was very unhappy. He was also deeply in debt, and his need for attention escalated; one night, Orth writes, "Cunanan set a paper plate piled with napkins on fire and then walked away from the table."

3) He wanted to be famous.

According to Mauren Orth's 1999 book Vulgar Favors (via Newsweek), on which The Assassination of Gianni Versace is based, Cunanan "resented Versace's wealth and success. Cunanan's friends recalled that he often name-dropped the fashion designer's name, not surprising from a pathological liar."

Orth reports in her book that a teenaged Cunanan always knew he would be famous due to his behavior. "There was no specific goal... It was more, 'People will remember me because of my behavior rather than any achievement, because of my personality," Cunanan's high school friend, Matthew Rifat, told Orth.

According to Vulgar Favors, Cunanan had met Versace at least once, and had developed somewhat of an obsession with the fashion designer. If Versace was the most famous person that Cunanan knew, then it makes sense that he would target him to gain notoriety. According to TIME, friends of Cunanan told the FBI in 1997 that Cunanan may have been attracted to someone within Versace's social circle, which set off his "next violent explosion."

4) He had run out of money and important contacts.

According to Vanity Fair, Norman Blachford, a wealthy retiree, had been bankrolling Cunanan's spending for a time, but Blachford cut off Cunanan in September 1996. The New York Times reported in 1997 that Cunanan often complained he was broke before he left California for Minneapolis, where he began his murder spree. According to the owner of his local hangout, "He had gotten rid of his car. He was living in a dumpy apartment. All the pretenses were gone. He couldn't be the top dog anymore. He couldn't be the center of attention." Seemingly, Cunanan's attempts to live the high life, by dating much older, wealthy men, had fallen through, and he was angry.

Jeffrey Trail's sister implied to The New York Times that Cunanan may have been angry with Trail. The Times wrote, "She said Minneapolis police officers told her family that they were investigating a theory that Mr. Cunanan was scheming to take advantage of older gay men and that Mr. Trail had spread warnings about such connivance, which angered Mr. Cunanan." As Cunanan often relied on wealthy partners to support his lifestyle, it makes sense that he would be angered by anyone who interfered with his income.

Prior to Versace's murder, The Gay and Lesbian Times columnist Nicole Ramirez Murray told the Chicago Tribune that when Blachford dumped him, Cunanan "lost his key to this exclusive world." After the millionaire cut him off, Cunanan had nothing left. As the publication reported, "The man who was always the big-spending life of the party was tapped out."

5) Cunanan thought he was HIV-positive and wanted revenge.

While an autopsy disproved that Cunanan had AIDS at the time of his death (per Associated Press), several sources claimed that he thought he had, and this was his key motive for beginning his killing spree.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported (via The New York Times), that AIDS counsellor Mike Dudley told the publication that "Mr. Cunanan expressed fear that he might be infected with the virus that causes AIDS and vowed revenge on whoever might have transmitted it to him."

American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace airs Wednesdays at 10 PM EST on FX.