Michigan Man Killed, Cannibalized By Grindr Date, Police Say
A public defender representing a Michigan man charged with murdering and mutilating a man he met on a dating app has filed a notice to seek an insanity defense.
Mark Latunski, 50, of Bennington Township, is due in court Wednesday in the ghastly killing and cannibalization of Kevin Bacon, 25. Officers said Latunski confessed to stabbing Bacon in the back and slitting his throat, suspending him from the ceiling by his ankles, removing his testicles and eating them, according to court documents cited by MLive.
Public defender Douglas Corwin filed paperwork Tuesday saying he would seek an insanity defense for Latunski. He told local news outlet WNEM his client “believes there is this international conspiracy to steal his money” and “rob him of any type of power.”
“He just has these grandiose claims,” Corwin said. “Those are being investigated by our office and I do believe our prosecutor’s office as well.”
Latunski is believed to have met up with Bacon on Christmas Eve after they connected on Grindr, investigators said. Family members reported Bacon, who worked as a hairstylist while studying psychology at the University of Michigan-Flint, missing on Christmas Day, when he didn’t show up for a holiday breakfast.
Police discovered Bacon’s body at Latunski’s home four days later. Bacon lived in Swartz Creek, about 25 miles from where his body was found.
Bacon’s father said this week he and his family were “beside ourselves” after learning details of the crime.
“I’m going to remember him how everyone else remembers him, that he’s a good person who was passionate and cares for people,” Karl Bacon said at a Monday press conference. “Evil does exist and it touched us. When you use these apps, just let other people know who you’re meeting and where you’re going to be at.”
Latunski, who is being held without bond, has had several brushes with authorities in the past, according to The Washington Post. The most recent was last fall, when he was caught chasing a 29-year-old man wearing only a leather kilt from his home. The younger man later declined to press charges.
At his Dec. 30 arraignment, Latunski told a judge that his name was actually Edgar Thomas Hill, and that Mark Latunski is his nephew. According to local NBC affiliate WLIX, the judge dismissed Latunski’s claim and proceeded with the arraignment.
Bacon’s death has attracted attention from celebrities and media personalities, including cosmetics mogul Jeffree Star.
“I’m devastated to hear of the passing of someone from Michigan who lived their life fearlessly and was taken too soon,” Star tweeted Dec. 28, the same day Bacon’s body was found. He also donated $20,000 to a GoFundMe account created in Bacon’s memory.
Two days later, actor Kevin Bacon paid tribute to the slain hairstylist and student who shared his name in a poignant Instagram post after learning of the case.
“His life was taken from him much too soon,” the “Footloose” star wrote.
In a Tuesday statement, a spokesperson for Grindr said the company was “heartbroken to hear about this terrible tragedy,” and vowed to “remain fully committed to working with law enforcement in the event of any investigation.”
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
