You may or may not have heard of the notorious spree killer Andrew Cunanan, but world renowned fashion designer Gianni Versace probably rings a bell. July 15, 1997, Versace was enjoying a walk back from a local Miami cafè, when he was shot twice in the back of his head on his front steps. He later passed away in the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, but who was the man with the gun, and what did he have against Versace?
Andrew Cunanan, born on August 31, 1969 in National City California, was a straight A student who lived in a broken household of his verbally abusive father, Modesto, and his mother Mary. He was infatuated by wealth starting at a young age, and as he got older in order to uphold his desired lifestyle, Cunanan worked as a male prostitute, spent a lot of time in gay clubs, and had many sugar daddies that bought him whatever he wanted. Without any warning, he would begin his serial murders in Minneapolis in 1997, where he beat a man to death with a hammer. His next victim was brutally murdered not very long after, where he was shot and left in East Rush Lake, Minnesota. Two other men’s lives were ended by Cunanan, but these times were different. The previous attacks had been on men he was acquainted with, whereas the new ones were strangers, which means Cunanan’s serial murdering turned into a spree. After stealing a previous victim’s truck, he would go on to kill LGBTQ+ fashion icon Gianni Versace, outside of his mansion in Miami. A few days later, Cunanan was found dead by suicide.
Many speculations have been created about the motives behind Cunanan’s killing spree, especially surrounding Versace. To the public’s knowledge, Cunanan did not have any relations with Versace, but his fortune, fame, and presence as an idolized member of the gay community could have been envied by Cunanan. His growing need for wealth and male validation could have been the reason he chose Versace as his victim. The murder of a celebrity would bring him the attention and fame he desired, and he would not feel a jealousy to Versace that he may have before. Another standing thought that could have brought upon the murder of Gianni Versace was the fact that every man that was killed was gay. Before the murders, it was known that Cunanan believed he was suffering from HIV. After visiting the doctor and receiving the information that he did not have HIV, Cunanan did not believe it, and wanted to get revenge against the men who ‘made him sick’. Although there are many leads, nobody knows for sure what Cunanan’s motives were.
Gianni Versace’s designs were an entire era of high fashion itself, and many people in the industry aspired to be like him. He was an innovative thinker, creating designs that were bold, statement, and creative. His death affected the fashion community in many ways. This tragic event ended one of the most successful eras of the Versace brand, and at the time of his death, Gianni Versace was one of the most influential and successful fashion designers in the scene. Prior to the murder, his sister Donatella Versace would take over the high fashion brand and successfully continue her brother’s legacy. In the 2000’s, Gianni Versace’s mansion was sold and turned into a club, but currently stands today as a hotel by the name of ‘The Villa Casa Casuarina’. Versace’s legacy lives on with his brand and impact on the fashion industry, and his life is celebrated in South Florida and all around the world of fashion.
Gianni Versace’s death was unexpected and violent, and he could have continued to thrive as a fashion designer if it weren’t for this heinous act performed by Andrew Cunanan, as well as all the other men whose lives were taken throughout the duration of Cunanan’s killing spree. These crimes raised major red flags to those in the LGBTQ+ community, and by losing someone as influential to a community that Versace was to an assassination is devastating to the community. This event brings awareness of hate crimes to a community in which the motive is not typical.
