The 1980s: The Deadliest Decade (2016–2017): Season 2, Episode 7 - The Death of Disco - full transcript
When 24-year-old Diane Delia is found dead in the Hudson River, detectives are surprised to realize she was once a man. An investigation leads them to New York's disco and gay club scenes -...
[ STATIC CRACKLES ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Reporter: TO CALL ALL OF THIS
BIZARRE WOULD BE
AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
Santisario:
IT WAS A BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE.
SHE WANTED JOHN AS A BOYFRIEND.
I THINK, IN HER MIND,
SHE WAS GONNA CHANGE HIM.
BUT THAT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
THEY'D YELL OUT, "QUEER, QUEER!"
Musto:
IT'S NOT CUT-AND-DRY.
IT'S NOT BLACK-AND-WHITE.
IT'S NOT HATER/VICTIM.
I KNOW THAT HE WAS THERE,
AND THEN,
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
HE WAS MISSING.
IT WAS ALL JEALOUSY.
I MEAN, THERE WAS SO MUCH
JEALOUSY GOING ON.
WHEN YOU GOT TOO CLOSE
TO THE FIRE, IT COULD BURN YOU.
Musto:
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD
PREVIOUSLY BEEN UNCHARTERED.
IT WASN'T YOUR RUN-OF-THE-MILL
MURDER CASE.
[ KILLING JOKE'S
"EIGHTIES" PLAYS ]
THE PERSON WHO I THOUGHT WAS
A FEMALE WAS NOT A FEMALE.
IF IT WAS A ROBBERY, OF COURSE,
IT WAS A VIOLENT ONE.
THIS WAS NOT GONNA
BE INVESTIGATED
AS SOME SORT OF HATE CRIME.
WHY WOULD ANYBODY DO THIS?
HOW COULD IT HAPPEN?
Killing Joke:
♪♪ AH AH AH AH ♪♪
♪♪ EIGHTIES ♪♪
♪♪ I'M LIVIN' IN THE EIGHTIES ♪♪
♪♪ EIGHTIES ♪♪
JUST SAY NO.
♪♪ WELL, I HAVE TO PUSH ♪♪
- [SIREN CHIRPS]
♪♪ I HAVE TO STRUGGLE, OH! ♪♪
♪♪ EIGHTIES ♪♪
[ CLOCK TICKS,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLES ]
Narrator:
THE START OF THE '80s
MARKS THE END
[ APPLAUSE ]
OF THE U. S.- RUSSIA DéTENTE...
Carter:
I AM ENTRUSTED
WITH THE SECURITY
OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.
...AND A FINALE
FOR ARCHIE BUNKER.
♪♪ THOSE WERE THE DAYS ♪♪
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
BUT, AS THE '70s COME TO AN END,
THE REIGNING ERA OF DISCO
IS STILL GOING STRONG.
ROD STEWART...
- ♪♪ IF YOU WANT MY BODY ♪♪
♪♪ AND YOU THINK
I'M SEXY ♪♪
...BLONDIE...
♪♪ SOON TURNED OUT ♪♪
♪♪ I HAD
A HEART OF GLASS ♪♪
[ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ]
...AND THE QUEEN OF THEM ALL...
DIANA ROSS.
♪♪ I'M COMING OUT! ♪♪
THE PALACE WHERE THEY ALL
PLAY AND PARTY INTO THE NIGHT
IS LEGENDARY.
STUDIO 54.
YOU WOULD LOOK AROUND
AND SEE TRUMAN CAPOTE,
CHER, DOLLY PARTON,
ANDY WARHOL, HALSTON,
LIZA MINNELLI.
I DANCED WITH MARGAUX HEMINGWAY
JUST BECAUSE
I WAS NEXT TO HER
ON THE DANCEFLOOR.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
WHILE MANHATTAN
IS THE EPICENTER OF DISCO,
BY 1978, KIDS IN THE SUBURBS
DON'T NEED TO LINE UP
OUTSIDE STUDIO 54
TO DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY.
I THINK THE REASON THAT PEOPLE
STARTED EMBRACING DISCO
WAS JUST BECAUSE
IT WAS GREAT MUSIC
AND A LOT OF IT
WAS AT GAY CLUBS.
Narrator:
JUST NORTH OF MANHATTAN,
IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY,
THE DOWNTOWN AREAS
ARE SPRINKLED WITH DISCOS,
LIKE THE PLAYROOM AND ZIPPERZ.
THESE CLUBS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
AS GLITZY AS STUDIO 54,
BUT THEY WERE PLACES WHERE
YOUNG SUBURBAN GAY KIDS
JUST COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET
COULD FIT IN AND GET DOWN.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ CLOCK TICKING ]
[ UPBEAT TUNE PLAYS ]
AND NO ONE EMBRACED THAT MORE
THAN 21-YEAR-OLD JOHN DELIA.
JOHN DELIA WAS A GAY MAN.
JOHN'S BEEN OUT
FROM THE DAY HE WAS BORN.
HE NEVER HID WHO HE WAS.
Narrator:
JOHN FEELS RIGHT AT HOME IN THE
GAY CLUB SCENE IN WESTCHESTER.
Santisario:
HE PRETTY MUCH LIVED
TO DANCE AND PARTY.
Narrator:
GROWING UP IN RIVERDALE, A BRONX
SUBURB JUST NORTH OF MANHATTAN,
JOHN SHOWED AN EARLY
PASSION FOR THE STAGE.
WHEN JOHN WAS A CHILD,
HE LIKED DRESSING UP
AND PERFORMING
AND ENTERTAINING,
AND HIS MOTHER PRETTY
MUCH ENCOURAGED IT.
HIS FATHER REALLY
DIDN'T CARE FOR THAT.
♪♪♪♪
THERE WAS A MUCH,
MUCH LARGER GAY CULTURE
THAN THERE EVER
HAD BEEN BEFORE.
[ ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
Narrator:
AND JOHN IS DRAWN TO IT.
HIS NEED TO PERFORM INEVITABLY
BRINGS HIM TO THE STAGE,
WHERE HE DAZZLES AUDIENCES WITH
HIS BREATHTAKING DRAG SHOWS.
♪♪♪♪
BY 1978, JOHN IS DRIVING
THE AUDIENCES WILD
IN REGULAR PERFORMANCES
AT ZIPPERZ.
HIS MAIN CHARACTER
WAS DIANA ROSS.
I FEEL,
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL,
THAT DIANA ROSS
IS THE ULTIMATE ENTERTAINER.
I MEAN, SHE JUST
RADIATES SPARKLE.
SHE HAS TO HAVE SEQUINS
IN HER BLOOD.
Santisario:
YOU'D SWEAR THAT YOU WERE
LOOKING AT DIANA ROSS.
HIS COSTUMES WERE GREAT.
I MEAN, HE'D BLIND YOU,
IF THE LIGHTS HIT HIM DIRECTLY,
FROM ALL THE SEQUINS.
Campanaro:
HE USED TO LOVE TO PERFORM.
HE LOVED BEING ONSTAGE.
I THINK HE REALLY LOVED
THE ATTENTION.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ CHEERING ]
Narrator:
ONSTAGE, JOHN RADIATES
CONFIDENCE AND SUCCESS.
BUT, BEHIND THE SCENES,
HE STRUGGLES WITH QUESTIONS
ABOUT HIS IDENTITY,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO HIS GENDER.
Santisario:
HE WAS TAKING HORMONES
WHEN I MET HIM.
HE DIDN'T FEEL
THAT HE WAS A MAN.
HE SHOULD'VE NEVER BEEN A MAN.
Narrator:
THE HORMONES HELP HIM
DEVELOP BREASTS
AND ALTER HIS APPEARANCE
TO LOOK MORE FEMININE.
HE ALSO GOES UNDER THE KNIFE
FOR SOME MINOR PLASTIC SURGERY.
Santisario:
HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE HIMSELF
LOOK LIKE DIANA ROSS
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
HE HAD A NOSE JOB.
HE HAD HIS ADAM'S APPLE SHAVED.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A PICTURE OF HIM
HOLDING UP THE DIANA ROSS ALBUM
AND SHOWING HIS PROFILE
TO THE DIANA ROSS PROFILE.
Narrator:
IN THE MIDST OF THIS
TRANSFORMATION, IN 1978,
JOHN MEETS BOBBY FERRARA,
AN EX-NAVY RECRUIT
WHO GETS A JOB
AS A BARTENDER AT ZIPPERZ.
♪♪♪♪
HE WAS A VERY
NICE-LOOKING GENTLEMAN
AND HE HAD THAT PERSONALITY
THAT BROUGHT EVERYBODY IN.
AND I THINK JOHN WAS JUST
VERY DRAWN TO HIM.
JOHN WAS DOING A SHOW
AND BOB WAS BARTENDING
AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
[chuckle]
Narrator:
IT'S A CLASSIC CASE
OF OPPOSITES ATTRACT.
Campanaro:
BOBBY WAS MORE
OF A CONSERVATIVE PERSON,
WHEREAS, JOHN,
HE WAS VERY OUT THERE.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
BUT, IN THIS ERA,
BEING OUT THERE
STILL COMES WITH SOME RISKS.
BACK IN THE LATE '70s/
EARLY '80s,
YOU COULDN'T WALK
DOWN THE STREET
ARM-IN-ARM WITH YOUR PARTNER.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
YOU'D GET BEAT UP.
Santisario:
I REMEMBER ONE TIME STANDING
ON A CORNER AT THE PLAYROOM.
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
[ SHOUTING ]
A CARLOAD OF PEOPLE CAME BY,
SCREAMING
[ GLASS BREAKS ]
ALL KINDS OF OBSCENITIES
AT THE PEOPLE STANDING ON THE
CORNER OUTSIDE THE CLUB.
Campanaro:
THEY'D YELL OUT, "QUEER, QUEER!"
THEY WERE THROWING BOTTLES
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT WASN'T A COOL TIME
TO BE YOURSELF.
YOU KIND OF HAD TO HIDE IT.
[ MELANCHOLY TUNE PLAYS ]
[ WAVES LAPPING ]
Narrator:
BUT JOHN ISN'T WILLING
TO HIDE HIS LOVE FOR BOBBY.
♪♪♪♪
JOHN DELIA WAS VERY MUCH
IN LOVE WITH BOBBY
AND YOU COULD JUST TELL BECAUSE
JOHN SPOKE ABOUT BOBBY
ALL THE TIME.
Narrator:
AND JOHN HAS BIG PLANS
FOR THEIR FUTURE.
HE USED TO TELL ME,
"IT'S THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.
I'M GONNA MARRY HIM SOMEDAY."
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
BUT, LIKE MANY PASSIONATE
LOVE AFFAIRS,
JEALOUSY SOON CREEPS IN.
Santisario:
THEY ARGUED ABOUT PEOPLE
HITTING ON BOB.
JOHN DIDN'T LIKE THAT.
AND BOB'S LIKE
"I'M A BARTENDER.
I GOTTA FLIRT WITH THE PEOPLE,
OR I DON'T MAKE MONEY."
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
THEIR TUMULTUOUS LOVE AFFAIR
IS CUT SHORT
WHEN, SOON AFTER MEETING,
NAVY MILITARY POLICE SHOW UP.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Santisario:
BOB GOT ARRESTED BECAUSE
HE WAS AWOL FROM THE SERVICE.
THEY TOOK HIM TO PRISON
IN CALIFORNIA.
Narrator:
DEVASTATED, JOHN CAN'T
BRING HIMSELF TO MOVE ON.
Santisario:
HE WASN'T OUT,
LOOKING FOR ANYONE ELSE,
EVEN WHILE BOB WAS IN PRISON.
HE WAS STILL IN LOVE
WITH BOB.
HE WAS STILL DOING HIS SHOWS,
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
THAT HE COULD.
AND THAT'S WHERE HE MET ROBYN.
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator: ONE NIGHT,
22-YEAR-OLD ROBYN ARNOLD
DRIVES UP TO THE ENTRANCE
AT ZIPPERZ.
Santisario:
WHEN ROBYN PULLED UP,
SHE HAD A CADILLAC
AND, AS SHE GOT OUT OF THE CAR
AND SHE WAS WALKING
INTO THE CLUB,
JOHN SAID TO ROBYN,
"MUST BE VERY NICE, DRIVING
AROUND IN DADDY'S CADILLAC"
AND SHE WAS LIKE "NO, NO,
DARLING, IT'S MY CAR."
RIGHT THEN AND THERE,
THEY BECAME REALLY GOOD FRIENDS.
[ FOREBODING MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
SPUNKY, ATTRACTIVE, AND RICH,
ROBYN IS USED TO GETTING
WHATEVER SHE WANTS.
ROBYN CAME FROM A WEALTHY,
PROMINENT FAMILY
IN MADISON, IN NEW YORK CITY,
AND ROBYN HERSELF PURSUED
MEDICINE BY BECOMING A NURSE.
Narrator:
TO ROBYN, JOHN REPRESENTS
EVERYTHING SHE ISN'T:
EDGY, ADVENTUROUS,
AND LIVING ON THE FRINGE.
THEY HIT IT OFF,
AND SHE BECOMES A MAINSTAY
IN HIS GROUP OF FRIENDS.
SHE CONNECTED RIGHT AWAY
WITH JOHN.
NOT LONG AFTER MEETING,
ROBYN STARTS THINKING OF JOHN
AS MORE THAN A FRIEND.
I THINK SHE WAS INFATUATED
WITH HIM COMPLETELY.
THE FEELING IS MUTUAL.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE,
JOHN IS SMITTEN WITH A WOMAN.
HE AND ROBYN SOON
BECOME INSEPARABLE.
WHEREVER JOHN WAS,
YOU WOULD SEE ROBYN.
SHE WOULD STAY OVER.
SHE'D BE IN HIS ROOM.
THEY WOULD COME OUT GIGGLING.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
JOHN'S FRIENDS ARE SURPRISED
BY THE NEW LOVE IN HIS LIFE.
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
BUT THE REAL SHOCK COMES
WHEN HE TELLS THEM HE'S DECIDED
THAT HE DOESN'T WANT
TO BECOME A WOMAN AFTER ALL.
Santisario:
HE DID STOP TAKING HORMONES.
HE WANTED TO STOP THE PROCESS.
HE REALLY WASN'T SURE
WHAT HE WANTED.
BOB WAS GONE.
ROBYN'S IN THE PICTURE.
"DO I WANT TO BE ALONE?
DO I WANT TO HAVE
A RELATIONSHIP?"
HE WAS VERY CONFUSED,
I THINK, AT THAT POINT.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
AS 1980 KICKS OFF,
THINGS GET SERIOUS
BETWEEN ROBYN AND JOHN.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
SHE RENTED A PLACE IN THE
CENTURY TOWERS IN RIVERDALE
AND HE MOVED IN WITH HER
AND THEY LIVED THERE TOGETHER.
♪♪♪♪
I FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE
MAKING PLANS TO GET MARRIED.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
AND WHILE JOHN MAY BE GIVING UP
ON BECOMING A WOMAN,
HE ISN'T GIVING UP ON HIS CAREER
AS A DRAG PERFORMER.
AND ROBYN WAS VERY INVESTED IN
JOHN'S PERFORMANCE CAREER, ALSO.
SHE WAS BUYING OUTFITS FOR HIM.
Narrator:
LIKE JOHN, ROBYN'S ON HER
OWN IDENTITY QUEST,
AND IT SEEMS LIKE SHE'S FOUND IT
IN THEIR UNLIKELY PARTNERSHIP.
Santisario:
JOHN WAS ALWAYS
THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.
HE WAS LIKE A MAGNET.
EVERYBODY WANTED
TO BE AROUND HIM.
WHEN SHE WAS WITH JOHN, SHE WAS
ALSO CENTER OF ATTENTION.
BUT I THINK JOHN NEEDED
THAT ONE PERSON
THAT WOULD IDOLIZE HIM,
MAKE HIM THEIR CENTER,
SO, TOGETHER,
THEY LIKE FED OFF EACH OTHER.
BUT, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN
YOU GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE FIRE...
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
...IT COULD BURN YOU.
♪♪♪♪
WHEN BOB WAS RELEASED AND CAME
BACK, EVERYTHING CHANGED.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ HEARTBEAT ]
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator:
IN THE WINTER OF 1980,
THE PARTY'S OVER AT STUDIO 54
WHEN THE OWNERS ARE ARRESTED
FOR TAX EVASION.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
[ ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
BUT THE DISCO SCENE IS STILL
GOING STRONG IN WESTCHESTER
AND ROBYN ARNOLD IS THRILLED
TO BE AT THE CENTER OF IT.
SHE AND JOHN DELIA ARE ENGAGED
AND LIVING TOGETHER.
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
THEN, BOBBY FERRARA,
JOHN'S EX-BOYFRIEND,
IS RELEASED FROM MILITARY PRISON
AND RETURNS TO WESTCHESTER.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ FOREBODING MUSIC PLAYS ]
Longo:
HE WAS IN THE NAVY AND HE HAD
DID SOME TIME FOR GOING AWOL.
HE WAS DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED.
Santisario:
JOHN NEVER FELL OUT
OF LOVE WITH BOB.
♪♪♪♪
AS SOON AS BOB CAME BACK,
JOHN TOLD HER,
"I WANT TO GO BACK WITH BOB."
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
ROBYN SOON FINDS
HERSELF SIDELINED.
BACK IN 1980, WHEN, I THINK,
THERE WASN'T AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT GAY PEOPLE, IN GENERAL,
ROBYN MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT
SHE COULD CHANGE JOHN.
Musto:
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL.
THERE ARE OTHER STRAIGHT WOMEN
THAT HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED
WITH GAY MEN,
THINKING THEY CAN CHANGE THEM.
Narrator:
ROBYN REALIZES SHE CAN'T
COMPETE WITH THE LOVE
THAT JOHN AND BOBBY SHARE.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
BUT ROBYN DOESN'T RUN OFF
TO NURSE HER WOUNDS.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
INSTEAD, UNWILLING TO BE
OUT OF JOHN'S LIFE ALTOGETHER,
SHE BECOMES THE COUPLE'S
THIRD WHEEL.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
SHE WASN'T THRILLED
WITH THE FACT
THAT SHE WAS LOSING HER FIANCé,
THE PERSON WHO SHE
TURNED STRAIGHT.
BUT SHE TRIED TO STAY
IN THE PICTURE.
SHE WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION,
"WELL, IF I CAN'T HAVE HIM,
I'LL BE HIS FRIEND,
HIS BEST GIRLFRIEND."
Narrator:
AND, IN ORDER TO DO THAT,
SHE EMBRACES A CLOSE FRIENDSHIP
WITH BOBBY, AS WELL.
ALL THREE OF THEM
BECOME REALLY CLOSE.
IT'S LIKE IT WAS JUST WEIRD.
I MEAN, JOHN WAS SPENDING MOST
OF HIS PRIVATE TIME WITH BOB,
BUT, JOHN WAS STILL
LIVING WITH ROBYN.
BOB WAS THERE ALL THE TIME.
AND THEY WERE TRIO.
WHEREVER ONE WENT,
THE OTHER TWO WENT ALONG.
♪♪♪♪
I DON'T BLAME YOU --
Narrator:
BUT THINGS BETWEEN
JOHN AND BOBBY
DON'T EXACTLY GO BACK TO THE WAY
THEY WERE BEFORE BOBBY LEFT.
THEY BECOME EVEN
MORE COMPLICATED.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM
THEY WERE HAVING WAS THAT
BOB WAS CLAIMING
THAT HE WASN'T TOTALLY GAY
AND HE WANTED TO BE
WITH A WOMAN, AT THAT POINT.
AND I THINK JOHN'S THINKING WAS,
"WELL, IF I'M A WOMAN,
HE MIGHT BE MORE
ATTRACTED TO ME."
[ EERIE CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
IT REKINDLES JOHN'S DESIRE
TO TRANSITION INTO A WOMAN.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
JOHN BEGINS TAKING
THE HORMONES AGAIN,
BUT, THIS TIME, HE DECIDES
TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER.
Campanaro:
GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY
WAS KIND OF IN ITS INFANCY,
AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
IT WASN'T VERY COMMON AT ALL,
NOT LIKE TODAY.
Narrator:
THE WAY WAS PAVED
BY CHRISTINE JORGENSEN,
WHO WAS THE FIRST WOMAN
IN THE U. S. TO UNDERGO
A SUCCESSFUL
GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY.
Reporter:
CHRISTINE HIT THE HEADLINES
FOLLOWING THE SERIES
OF OPERATIONS IN DENMARK
THAT TRANSFORM HER
FROM A BOY INTO A GIRL.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
BUT IN 1980, IT'S RARE,
RISKY, AND NOT CHEAP.
BUT, ONCE AGAIN,
ROBYN OFFERS TO HELP.
Longo:
ROBYN PAID FOR THE OPERATION.
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS BEST FOR JOHN
AND SHE WAS TRYING TO HELP HIM.
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ HOLLOW TUNE REVERBERATES ]
Narrator:
AFTER THE GRUELING SURGERY
AND A FEW WEEKS OF RECOVERY,
JOHN RETURNS FROM THE
HOSPITAL, CHANGED.
HE IS NOW, OFFICIALLY,
AND FOREVER, A SHE
AND TO PAY HOMAGE TO HER
FAVORITE DIVA, DIANA ROSS,
SHE RECHRISTENS HERSELF AS
DIANE.
Campanaro:
SHE LOOKED GORGEOUS.
IT WORKED.
IT WORKED FOR HIM.
HE WAS REALLY ATTRACTIVE.
Santisario:
AT THIS POINT, NOW,
DIANE WAS ECSTATIC
WITH HER NEW SURGERY,
HER LADY PARTS.
SHE WAS SO PROUD OF IT,
VERY PROUD OF IT.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DIANE FINDS NEW CONFIDENCE,
AND WORK, IN HER NEW SKIN.
SHE'S SOON HIRED AS A MODEL
FOR THE MOST AMERICAN
AND TRADITIONAL OF BRANDS.
♪♪ AVON ♪♪
♪♪ AND YOU NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD ♪♪
DIANE DID ONE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR AVON
AND DIANE WAS STANDING THERE,
LOOKING ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
NOBODY COULD'VE TOLD
THAT SHE WAS TRANSGENDER.
♪♪♪♪
[ ETHEREAL CHORALE PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DIANE IS JUST AS GLOWING
WHEN, IN AUGUST 1981,
SHE AND BOBBY TIE THE KNOT
AS HUSBAND AND WIFE.
RIGHT BY THEIR SIDE,
AS ALWAYS, IS ROBYN,
WHO EVEN HELPS BOBBY
BUY THE RING.
SHE GAVE ROBERT $1,400
TO BUY AN ENGAGEMENT RING.
[ SINISTER-EERIE TUNE PLAYS ]
Santisario:
DIANE ALWAYS SAID,
"I'M GONNA MARRY HIM SOMEDAY,
NO MATTER WHAT I HAVE TO DO,"
AND HE DID IT. [chuckle]
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
AND THE NEW COUPLE
MOVES IN TOGETHER,
BUT MARITAL BLISS
DOES NOT LAST LONG.
NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS LATER, WHEN
THE HONEYMOON PHASE WEARS OFF,
DIANE AND BOBBY
BEGIN BICKERING AGAIN.
I THINK THEY BOTH THOUGHT,
BY JOHN BECOMING DIANE,
IT WOULD FIX EVERYTHING,
BUT IT DIDN'T.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
SEXUAL RELATIONS WAS
THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEM
BECAUSE BOB DECIDED
HE WASN'T FINDING HER
AS ATTRACTIVE PHYSICALLY,
WASN'T PIQUING HIS INTEREST,
SHALL WE SAY.
AND HE STARTED
TO LOOK AT GUYS AGAIN.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
DIANE IS CRUSHED.
SHE ACTS OUT, AND HE RETALIATES.
THEY WOULD START DOING THINGS
LIKE PLAYING UP TO OTHER PEOPLE
TO MAKE EACH OTHER JEALOUS.
DIANE WOULD PLAY UP TO OTHER
GUYS; BOB WOULD DO THE SAME.
THEY'D HAVE AN ARGUMENT
ABOUT IT.
ONE WOULD STORM OFF,
USUALLY BOB.
THAT'S WHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIP
STARTED TO DETERIORATE.
Narrator:
AS HER RELATIONSHIP
WITH BOBBY FALLS APART,
DIANE SPENDS EVEN
MORE TIME WITH ROBYN.
EVEN AFTER THE
SEX-CHANGE OPERATION,
DIANE AND ROBYN STILL MAINTAINED
A VERY CLOSE FRIENDSHIP.
Santisario:
ROBYN TREATED DIANE, NOW, LIKE
THEY WERE GIRLFRIENDS FOR LIFE,
BUT I THINK SHE WAS STILL
IN LOVE WITH THE IDEA OF JOHN.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
DIANE BEGINS TO PURSUE
STRAIGHT SINGLE MEN
AND QUICKLY FINDS
THAT ROBYN AND SHE
ARE GOING AFTER THE SAME GUYS,
CAUSING TENSION BETWEEN
THE CLOSE FRIENDS.
Santisario:
ROBYN AND DIANE
WERE VERY COMPETITIVE.
DIANE WOULD MEET SOMEBODY.
ROBYN WOULD ALWAYS INTERVENE.
Narrator:
IN SEPTEMBER 1981,
AS DIANE AND BOBBY
DRIFT FURTHER APART,
SHE MEETS SOME NEW
STRAIGHT FRIENDS AT THE CLUB:
ROBERT VASQUEZ,
AN AUTO-PARTS SALESMAN;
AND LAURA SCHULTZ,
A MAKEUP ARTIST.
Saracco:
ROBERT VASQUEZ WAS A GENTLEMAN
THAT DIANE MET AT ZIPPERZ.
LAURA BECAME PART OF THIS GROUP
THAT HUNG OUT AT ZIPPERZ.
Narrator:
SHE STARTS HANGING OUT WITH THEM
RIGHT AS THINGS WITH BOBBY
ARE COMING TO A HEAD.
FINALLY, DIANE DECIDES
TO STOP LIVING THE NIGHTMARE
THAT HAS BECOME
HER MARRIAGE TO BOBBY.
DIANE ACTUALLY MOVED OUT
AND MOVED BACK IN WITH ROBYN.
Narrator:
AND THEIR NEW ACQUAINTANCES
AGREE TO LEND A HAND.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
AFTER THEY FINISH
UNLOADING BOXES,
THE GROUP SITS DOWN
FOR A BITE TO EAT.
AND A LOT TO DRINK.
SOON, DIANE AND ROBYN
FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION
ON ONE OF THEIR NEW FRIENDS.
ROBERT VASQUEZ WAS GOOD-LOOKING,
GOOD-LOOKING GUY,
AND DIANE WAS INTERESTED
AND, ANYTHING DIANE WANTED,
ROBYN WANTED.
Saracco:
AT ONE POINT, HE FEELS
DIANE DELIA'S HAND
ON ONE OF HIS KNEES
AND ROBYN ARNOLD'S HAND
ON THE OTHER KNEE.
THIS MAKES HIM
VERY UNCOMFORTABLE
AND HE ACTUALLY GETS UP
AND GOES INTO THE BATHROOM
SO HE CAN EXTRICATE HIMSELF
FROM THE SITUATION.
Narrator:
THE COMPETITION IS ON.
ROBYN MAKES THE NEXT MOVE.
HE HAD AN ENCOUNTER
WITH ROBYN ARNOLD
WHERE SHE BEGINS
ACTUALLY FLASHING HIM.
Narrator:
ROBYN CORNERS VASQUEZ IN A ROOM
AND BEGINS TO CHANGE
IN FRONT OF HIM.
Saracco:
SHE BEGINS TELLING HIM
THAT HER VAGINA IS REAL
AND THAT DIANE'S IS FAKE.
Narrator:
NOT TO BE OUTDONE, DIANE
FLIRTS WITH LAURA SCHULTZ.
DIANE WAS MAKING
A PLAY FOR LAURA.
SHE WAS NEW TO THE GROUP,
SO SHE SWALLOWED THAT RIGHT UP.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
THE NEXT MORNING,
ROBYN CATCHES LAURA AND DIANE
IN AN INTIMATE MOMENT.
♪♪♪♪
ROBYN WALKS IN ON DIANE DELIA
AND LAURA SCHULTZ.
SHE SEES THEM TOGETHER.
THIS UPSETS ROBYN QUITE A BIT.
Santisario:
ROBYN GOT MAD:
"WHY ARE YOU WITH HER?"
ROBYN DIDN'T WANT DIANE
WITH ANYONE ELSE.
IT WAS JUST A JEALOUSY THING.
IT WAS A BIG GAME,
BAD GAME.
[ SUSPENSEFUL FLOURISH PLAYS ]
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
THREE DAYS AFTER DIANE
MOVES IN WITH ROBYN,
TENSIONS ARE
AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH.
DIANE'S NOW ON THE OUTS WITH
HER HUSBAND AND HER BEST FRIEND.
SHE COMES TO HER FRIEND GARY
WITH A REQUEST.
THAT EVENING,
DIANE CAME BY MY HOME
AND ASKED ME
IF SHE COULD STAY WITH ME.
Narrator:
DIANE TELLS GARY SHE HAS
TO GO OUT THAT NIGHT.
I SAY, "WHY?
WHAT'S GOING ON?"
SHE GOES, "I CAN'T EXPLAIN NOW,
BUT, WHEN I GET BACK,
CAN I STAY WITH YOU
FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS?"
AND I WAS LIKE, "YEAH, SURE."
Narrator:
SHE LEAVES THE APARTMENT
AROUND 7;30,
DRESSED UP IN A PAIR
OF PURPLE PANTS, TANK TOP,
AND LAVENDER SUEDE HEELS.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
AND THAT WAS THE LAST
I SAW OF HER.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ HEARTBEAT ]
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ DISTORTED TUNE PLAYS ]
Narrator:
IT'S BEEN THREE WEEKS
SINCE DIANE DELIA WAS LAST SEEN,
LEAVING HER FRIEND
GARY SANTISARIO'S APARTMENT.
[ SIREN WAILING ]
NEW YORK CITY POLICE
FROM THE 10th PRECINCT
RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY CALL.
THE PATROL SERGEANT
HAD CALLED THE PRECINCT
AND REQUESTED DETECTIVES RESPOND
TO 28th STREET, HUDSON RIVER.
A BODY WAS FOUND FLOATING
IN THE HUDSON RIVER.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DETECTIVE DONALD LONGO ARRIVES
AT THE SCENE TO INVESTIGATE.
A BODY HAD JUST BEEN
REMOVED FROM THE WATER
AND HE WANTED HELP WITH THE
SEARCH AND THE EXAMINATION.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
THE BODY WAS OUT OF THE WATER,
WRAPPED IN A BLANKET.
I RECALL THE COLOR BEING YELLOW.
TIED WITH A ROPE.
♪♪♪♪
THE HEAD AREA WHERE
THE BLANKET WAS WAS STAINED.
APPARENTLY, SHE HAD
A HEAD WOUND SOMEWHERE.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
THE WOMAN IS DRESSED
FOR AN EVENING OUT,
BUT SOMETHING'S MISSING.
♪♪♪♪
SHE HAD NO SHOES, NO JEWELRY,
NO WALLET,
NO IDENTIFICATION AT ALL.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE
BLANKET UNCOVERS MORE CLUES.
INSIDE THE BLANKET,
THERE WAS GLASS CLIPPINGS
AND TWIGS AND BURRS
AND SO ON
FROM THE GROUND WHERE
THE BLANKET HAD BEEN.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
THE PRESENCE OF THE TWIGS
AND GRASS CLIPPINGS
SUGGEST THE KILLING HAPPENED
IN A WOODED AREA.
THE POLICE SEND THE BODY
TO A MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE
FOR IDENTIFICATION.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH
IS ALSO NOTED.
WHEN THE BODY WAS AUTOPSIED
BY THE MEDICAL EXAMINER,
IT WAS FOUND THAT
THE CAUSE OF DEATH
WAS FOUR GUNSHOT WOUNDS
TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD.
[ OMINOUS CHORDS STRIKING ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
THE AUTOPSY ALSO REVEALS
A SMALL TATTOO
ON THE VICTIM'S ARM.
Longo:
SHE HAD, ON HER LEFT
SHOULDER, A BUNNY TATTOO.
I ADDED THAT INFORMATION
TO THE MISSING-PERSONS REPORT.
Narrator:
AND THEY MAKE A RARE DISCOVERY.
AFTER THE AUTOPSY
RESULTS WERE FILED,
IT WAS CLEAR THAT,
AT ONE TIME,
ALTHOUGH A WOMAN NOW,
AT ONE TIME, IT HAD BEEN A MALE.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
POLICE START THEIR INVESTIGATION
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
WHERE THE BODY WASHED UP,
NEAR 12th AVENUE
AND 28th STREET.
WE STARTED CANVASSING
OUR OWN AREA,
WHICH WAS WITH FEMALE
IMPERSONATORS OR DRAG QUEENS.
THERE WERE PROSTITUTES
THAT WOULD WALK THE STREETS
AROUND 12th AVENUE.
IT WAS KNOWN FOR THAT AREA.
Narrator:
THE BODY OF A TRANSGENDER PERSON
WASHING ASHORE IN AN AREA KNOWN
FOR FEMALE IMPERSONATORS
AND PROSTITUTES
SEEMS LIKE NO COINCIDENCE.
IF YOU FIND THE BODY OF A DEAD
TRANS WOMAN IN THE HUDSON,
CHANCES ARE SOMEBODY
ANGRY, DRUNK, AND VIOLENT
MAYBE RIPPED THEM OFF,
ROBBED THEM, RAPED THEM,
DID GOD KNOWS WHAT,
AND THREW THEM IN THE RIVER.
Narrator:
HER DEATH IS SIMILAR TO THE PLOT
OF A RECENT AL PACINO MOVIE,
"CRUISING."
- UNH!
GAY MEN TARGETED
BY A SERIAL KILLER
ARE WASHING UP ON THE
BANKS OF THE HUDSON.
- [PANTING]
- [THUD]
AND, IN 1981,
THE SAME YEAR THE AIDS VIRUS
IS IDENTIFIED IN THE U. S.,
A BACKLASH AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY
IS ON THE RISE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY...
I THINK HOMOSEXUALITY
IS A MORAL PERVERSION.
...WITH CRUSADERS LIKE
REVEREND JERRY FALWELL
LEADING THE CHARGE.
THIS IS THE EARLY '80s
AND THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC
DESIGNATION BY NYPD,
IN THE PATROL GUIDE
OR ANYWHERE ELSE,
THAT THIS WAS
GONNA BE INVESTIGATED
AS SOME SORT OF HATE CRIME.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator: BUT BEFORE POLICE
CAN UNDERSTAND
THE MOTIVE OF THE KILLER,
FIRST, THEY MUST
IDENTIFY THE BODY.
Longo:
WE CHECKED WITH THE
OTHER PRECINCTS.
THEY HAD NO INFORMATION AT ALL.
Narrator:
THEY FIGURE THEIR BEST BET?
IS THE DRAG QUEEN COMMUNITY
IN NEW YORK CITY.
THEY HAD THEIR OWN NEWSPAPER
ON THE WEST SIDE,
AND THEY PUT AN ARTICLE IN THERE
TO TRY AND HELP US IDENTIFY HIM.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORDS STRIKING ]
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
AND, JUST A WEEK
AFTER DIANE WENT MISSING,
GARY GETS A CALL.
ROBYN AND BOBBY ARE TOGETHER,
SEARCHING FOR DIANE.
Santisario:
BOB AND ROBYN WERE LIKE,
"WE CAN'T FIND DIANE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS.
SHE DISAPPEARED.
SHE WAS MAD AND SHE TOOK OFF.
YOU KNOW HOW SHE IS.
SHE GETS MAD
AND SHE DISAPPEARS
FOR A FEW DAYS."
Narrator:
GARY HASN'T SEEN DIANE
SINCE SHE LEFT ON OCTOBER 7th.
AND, TO BE PERFECTLY
HONEST WITH YOU,
I DIDN'T REALLY
THINK ANYTHING OF IT
BECAUSE DIANE HAD DONE
SOME CRAZY THINGS IN HER PAST
WHEN SHE WANTED
SOMEONE'S ATTENTION.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS ONE
OF THOSE THINGS.
Narrator:
BUT, WHEN HE HEARS
THAT BOBBY AND ROBYN
HAVEN'T SEEN HER, EITHER,
WORRY TURNS TO PANIC.
SO, THAT'S WHEN THEY ALL
DECIDED TO CALL THE POLICE
AND REPORT HER
AS A MISSING PERSON.
[ EERIE CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
ROBYN REPORTS DIANE MISSING
ON OCTOBER 17th,
TO YONKERS POLICE,
BUT THE NEWS DOESN'T FILTER
DOWN TO MANHATTAN.
NOBODY KNOWS WHERE
TO LOOK FOR HER.
WE'D ALL GO TO ROBYN'S
APARTMENT AND HANG OUT
AND WE JUST SAT THERE
AND WAITED PATIENTLY.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
WEEKS PASS BEFORE DIANE'S
WORRIED FRIENDS HEAR ANY NEWS.
BUT THEN, IN LATE NOVEMBER,
THE ARTICLE THAT DETECTIVE LONGO
HAD PLACED IN THE LOCAL DRAG-
QUEEN NEWSLETTER IN MANHATTAN
MAKES ITS WAY TO YONKERS.
FRIENDS SEE THE NOTICE
IN THE PAPER
AND ONE SPECIFIC
DETAIL STANDS OUT.
THERE WAS A PICTURE OF THE BODY
FROM THE SHOULDERS DOWN,
WITH THE BUNNY TATTOO.
ONCE WE SAW THAT,
WE ALL KNEW WHO IT WAS.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
FINALLY, DETECTIVE LONGO GETS
THE CALL HE'S BEEN WAITING FOR.
A YOUNG LADY NAMED ROBYN ARNOLD
HAD COME TO THE MORGUE
TO IDENTIFY THE BODY.
Narrator:
ROBYN IS HORRIFIED, BUT SHE
CONFIRMS THAT IT IS, INDEED,
DIANE.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ MELANCHOLY TUNE PLAYS ]
♪♪♪♪
DIANE'S FRIENDS ARE IN SHOCK.
THEIR HOPES THAT SHE HAD
RUN OFF ON A WHIM ARE DASHED.
SHE'S IDENTIFIED AND WE ALL
WENT BACK TO ROBYN'S APARTMENT
AND EVERYBODY WAS LIKE,
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT."
I WAS A MESS.
SHE HAD NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP
AND IT'S SAD TO THINK THAT
THAT WAS EXTINGUISHED.
Narrator:
WITH THE BODY IDENTIFIED,
DETECTIVES MUST NOW FIGURE OUT
WHO WANTED DIANE DELIA DEAD.
POLICE IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO
QUESTION THOSE CLOSE TO DIANE,
STARTING WITH
HER HUSBAND, BOBBY.
VISIBLY DISTRAUGHT,
BOBBY TELLS DETECTIVE LONGO
ABOUT THE LAST TIME
HE SAW DIANE, ON OCTOBER 7th.
HE TOLD ME THEY HAD
HAD AN ARGUMENT
AND THERE WAS QUITE A BIT
OF JEALOUSY BETWEEN THEM.
HE WAS IN LOVE WITH HER, BUT
THEY JUST COULDN'T GET ALONG.
EVERY DAY, THERE WAS
AN ARGUMENT ABOUT SOMETHING.
THEIR RELATIONSHIP
WAS NOT BUILDING.
IT WAS GETTING WORSE.
I ASKED BOBBY ABOUT HIS WIFE
BEING WITHOUT SHOES,
IDENTIFICATION, AND JEWELRY.
HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING,
WHY SHE'D BE WITHOUT SHOES.
A WEDDING RING WAS MISSING.
I ASKED BOBBY
WHERE THE RING WAS
AND HE SAID TO ME,
"BOY, IF I KNEW,
I WOULD TELL YOU, BECAUSE,
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORDS STRIKING ]
IF YOU FIND THE RING,
YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT
WHO KILLED MY WIFE."
[ RING ]
Narrator: THE STATEMENT STICKS
WITH DETECTIVE LONGO.
HE PUTS OUT AN APB
TO CITY PAWNSHOPS,
TO LET AUTHORITIES KNOW
IF SOMEONE TRIES
TO PAWN A WEDDING RING.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
NEXT, POLICE SPEAK WITH ROBYN.
Longo:
THEN WE WORKED OUR WAY THROUGH
THAT ROBYN WAS PREVIOUSLY
ENGAGED TO THIS PERSON,
WHEN HE WAS A MAN.
SHE PAID FOR THE OPERATION.
SHE GAVE BOBBY $1,400
TO BUY HER AN ENGAGEMENT RING.
SHE WAS A FRIEND OF ROBERT'S,
ALSO, AND THEY WERE A TRIO.
SHE SEEMED TO BE A GENUINE
PERSON WHO CARED FOR THEM.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
MEANWHILE, ROBYN AND BOBBY SEEK
SOLACE IN EACH OTHER'S COMPANY.
Santisario:
HE MOVED OUT; AND HE MOVED IN
WITH ROBYN, AT THAT POINT.
Narrator:
BOBBY AND ROBYN HAD ALWAYS
BEEN CONNECTED THROUGH DIANE,
BUT IT SEEMS HER DEATH
HAS BROUGHT THEM EVEN CLOSER.
OBVIOUSLY, BOBBY WAS VERY
AFFECTED BY DIANE'S DEATH.
THEY NEEDED TO BE
WITH EACH OTHER
BECAUSE IT WAS COMFORTING
TO GATHER
WHEN SUCH A TRAGEDY
HAD OCCURRED.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
WHILE DIANE'S FORMER LOVERS
GRIEVE TOGETHER
UNDER ONE ROOF,
POLICE CONTINUE
TO COME UP EMPTYHANDED
IN THEIR SEARCH
FOR DIANE'S KILLER.
Longo:
WE WERE AT A TOTALLY DEAD END.
WE COVERED EVERY LEAD WE COULD,
WE INTERVIEWED
EVERY PERSON WE COULD,
AND WE STILL DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH
EVIDENCE TO CHARGE ANYBODY.
Narrator:
BUT, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
IN EARLY DECEMBER OF 1981,
DETECTIVES GET THEIR FIRST
BIG BREAK IN THE CASE.
YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT THE BODY
WAS FOUND WITHOUT ANY SHOES ON.
♪♪♪♪
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORDS STRIKING ]
[ ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
Narrator:
WEEKS AFTER DIANE DELIA'S BODY
IS DISCOVERED FLOATING
IN THE HUDSON RIVER,
INVESTIGATORS ARE NO CLOSER
TO UNRAVELING THE MYSTERY
OF HER MURDER.
THEN, HER FRIEND GARY COMES
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
ACROSS A CRITICAL CLUE.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
I WAS AT ROBYN'S HOME
ONE EVENING,
WITH A FEW OTHER PEOPLE,
AND WE WERE GOING
THROUGH THE CLOSET
WHERE ALL DIANE'S COSTUMES
AND THINGS WERE.
Narrator:
SOMETHING IN THE CLOSET
CATCHES HIS EYE.
Santisario:
I FOUND HER LAVENDER PUMPS
IN THE CLOSET.
WHEN THEY FOUND THE BODY,
HER BODY WAS MISSING
HER LAVENDER SUEDE PUMPS.
THAT'S WHERE I STARTED
TO GET A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS.
Narrator:
HIDING HIS SUSPICIONS
FROM ROBYN,
GARY DECIDES TO SMUGGLE
THE PUMPS OUT OF ROBYN'S HOUSE,
TO SHOW THEM TO DETECTIVES.
AT SOME POINT, GARY CALLED ME
AND HE SAID HE HAD
SOME INFORMATION.
Narrator:
THEY MAKE PLANS TO MEET
AT A LOCAL DINER
THAT THE GROUP USED
TO FREQUENT REGULARLY.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE SAW
A PAIR OF PURPLE SHOES
THAT MATCHED THE CLOTHING
THAT DIANE WAS FOUND IN
AND HE SAW THEM SHOES
IN ROBYN'S HOUSE RECENTLY.
Saracco:
HE WAS SURE THAT
THEY WERE HERS.
HE REMEMBERED THEM, THE STYLE.
SHE NEVER HAD TWO PAIR
THAT WERE IDENTICAL.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
HE ALSO TELLS DETECTIVES
HE NOTICED
SOMETHING MISSING
FROM ROBYN'S HOUSE:
A YELLOW BLANKET.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
ON ROBYN'S BED, THERE WAS ALWAYS
A YELLOW BLANKET FOLDED
AT THE FOOT OF THE BED.
I REMEMBERED THAT BLANKET
BECAUSE THE SATIN SEAM
WITH ZIGZAG STITCHING.
WHEN THE POLICE FOUND THE BODY,
IT WAS WRAPPED IN A YELLOW
SATIN BLANKET.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
OTHER THAN GARY'S STORY ABOUT
THE PURPLE SHOES AND BLANKET,
DETECTIVES HAVE NO EVIDENCE TO
CONNECT ROBYN TO DIANE'S DEATH.
BUT AFTER MEETING WITH GARY
AT THE CLIQUE'S LOCAL DINER,
DETECTIVE LONGO
NOTICES SOMETHING.
THE DINER IS NEXT DOOR
TO A PAWNSHOP.
HE REMEMBERS THAT BOBBY FERRARA
TOLD HIM THAT,
IF YOU FIND THE RING, YOU FIND
OUT WHO GOT RID OF THE RING,
YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD SUSPECT.
WE HAVE TO CHECK ON A PAWNSHOP
THAT'S TOO CLOSE
TO WHERE THESE PEOPLE HANG OUT.
Narrator:
THE DETECTIVE ENTERS
THE PAWNSHOP
AND SHOWS THE OWNER
A REPLICA OF THE RING.
HE ASKS HIM IF ANYBODY
HAD PAWNED
SOMETHING LIKE THIS RECENTLY.
Narrator:
THE OWNER TAKES A GOOD
LOOK AT THE RING.
THE PAWNSHOP OWNER
INDICATED THAT HE HAD,
YES, THAT HE RECALLED
THE SPECIFIC RING.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT WHO
ORIGINALLY SOLD HIM THE RING,
THE DETECTIVE SHOWS
THE OWNER PICTURES
OF DIANE'S FRIENDS
AND FORMER LOVERS.
DETECTIVE LONGO THEN SHOWED HIM
PICTURES OF BOBBY FERRARA.
Longo:
BOBBY, HE KNEW HIM.
HE CAME IN AND SOLD
THE RING TO HIM.
Narrator:
COULD DIANE'S KILLER HAVE BEEN
RIGHT UNDER THEIR NOSES
THE WHOLE TIME?
I WENT BACK AND TRIED TO GET
A HOLD OF BOBBY,
BUT HE WAS AMONGST THE MISSING.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY
AT THE 10th PRECINCT WHEN
DETECTIVE LONGO FINDS HIMSELF
IN AN INTERROGATION ROOM WITH
A MAN WHO SAYS HE HAS A TIP.
THE MAN SAYS HE HAS INFORMATION
ABOUT THE DEATH OF DIANE DELIA.
HE WAS FRIENDS
WITH BOBBY FERRARA.
HIS NAME IS DOMINICK GIORGIO.
HE'S A FRIEND OF BOBBY'S AND
HAS KNOWN HIM FOR A FEW YEARS.
AFTER DIANE'S DEATH,
HE TELLS LONGO,
HE STARTED SPENDING
MORE TIME WITH BOBBY,
OFTEN HANGING OUT WITH HIM
AND ROBYN AT HER APARTMENT
AND, ONE DAY, WHILE WATCHING
AN EPISODE OF "GENERAL HOSPITAL"
AT HER PLACE,
HE HEARD SOMETHING DISTURBING.
HE ACTUALLY HEARD ROBYN INDICATE
THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED
IN KILLING DIANE.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
HE HEARD ROBYN SAY,
"I KILLED DIANE."
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DETECTIVES INVESTIGATING
THE DEATH OF TRANSSEXUAL
PERFORMER DIANE DELIA
LISTEN AS DOMINICK GIORGIO
DESCRIBES A SHOCKING STATEMENT
HE OVERHEARD
FROM ROBYN ARNOLD.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
HE ACTUALLY HEARD ROBYN INDICATE
THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED
IN KILLING DIANE.
HE HEARD ROBYN SAY,
"I KILLED DIANE."
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DOMINICK TELLS POLICE
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO,
BUT, SOON AFTER, HE WAS ABLE
TO GET HIS FRIEND BOBBY ALONE
AND. FINALLY, BOBBY BROKE DOWN
AND CONFESSED TO HIM
WHAT HAD HAPPENED THE NIGHT
OF OCTOBER 7, 1981.
DOMINICK CONVINCED BOBBY FERRARA
TO WRITE THIS DOWN.
Narrator:
AND HIS WRITTEN CONFESSION
DESCRIBES DIANE'S DEATH
IN GREAT DETAIL.
[ CRICKETS CHIRPING ]
HE CLAIMS THAT HE
CONVINCED DIANE TO GO
FOR A DRIVE WITH HIM,
TO DISCUSS THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
AND THEN MEET UP WITH ROBYN
LATER THAT NIGHT.
THEY TELL HER THEY FOUND
SOMETHING IN THE WOODS
THAT SHE MAY WANT TO SEE.
HE STATES THAT HE AND ROBYN
LURED DIANE INTO THE WOODS.
Narrator:
ACCORDING TO BOBBY, HE AND DIANE
WERE WALKING NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
ROBYN WAS IN THE REAR.
Longo:
THEY GOT TO WHERE
THEY WERE GOING.
IT'S A SMALL PARK UNDERNEATH
THE TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE,
WHERE PEOPLE DOCK THEIR BOATS.
AND, AT THAT POINT,
ROBYN PULLED OUT THE GUN
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
AND SHOT DIANE IN THE HEAD.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
TWICE.
[ THUD ]
Narrator:
ACCORDING TO BOBBY'S CONFESSION,
AFTER ROBYN SHOOTS DIANE,
BOBBY TAKES THE GUN FROM HER.
BOBBY DIDN'T KNOW
IF SHE WAS DEAD,
BUT HE SHOT HER TWICE MORE.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
HE SHOT THE OTHER TWO SHOTS
BECAUSE THE BODY WAS TWITCHING.
HE DIDN'T WANT DIANE TO SUFFER.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
BOBBY SAYS, AFTER THE MURDER,
THEY LEFT DIANE'S BODY
BLEEDING IN THE WOODS.
DAYS LATER, BOBBY CONFESSES,
HE RETURNED TO THE SCENE,
WRAPPED THE BODY
IN THE YELLOW BLANKET,
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
AND DUMPED IT INTO THE HUDSON.
[ WATER RUSHING ]
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Saracco:
WE HAD A CONFESSION
FROM BOBBY FERRARA.
WE HAD BOBBY FERRARA
PAWNING THE RING.
WE HAD WITNESSES THAT HAD SEEN
THE MISSING YELLOW BLANKET
THAT'S IDENTICAL TO THE BLANKET
THAT THE BODY WAS WRAPPED IN
AND CONNECTED TO ROBYN ARNOLD.
WE HAD THE PURPLE PUMPS.
WE FELT THAT THAT WAS ENOUGH
THAT WE SHOULD,
AT THIS POINT, MAKE THE ARRESTS,
AND THE ARRESTS WERE MADE.
Narrator:
ON JANUARY 21, 1982,
BOBBY FERRARA IS ARRESTED
FOR THE MURDER OF HIS WIFE,
DIANE DELIA.
THE FOLLOWING DAY,
ROBYN SHARES THE SAME FATE.
♪♪♪♪
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES,
CLOCK TICKING ]
[ ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
THE CASE GOES TO TRIAL
IN SEPTEMBER OF 1982.
Reporter:
THIS IS A WEIRD ONE,
EVEN BY NEW YORK STANDARDS.
AFTER THE VICTIM HAD
A SEX-CHANGE OPERATION,
BECAME A WOMAN, HE, NOW SHE,
MARRIED THE MALE DEFENDANT
IN THE CASE.
THE DEFENDANTS WERE INDICTED
TOGETHER ON THE SAME INDICTMENT,
FOR MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE
OF DIANE DELIA.
THEY WERE REPRESENTED
SEPARATELY.
THEY COULD NOT HAVE
THE SAME ATTORNEY.
ROBYN'S ATTORNEY
WAS MICHAEL ROSEN.
ROBYN HAD THE
HIGH-PRICED ATTORNEY.
THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY
LURED THE VICTIM
TO A WOODED AREA NORTH
OF NEW YORK CITY.
[ MELANCHOLY ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
Narrator:
ROBYN AND BOBBY SIT SILENTLY
THROUGH THE TRIAL,
OFFERING NO REACTIONS,
AND NO CONCRETE MOTIVES
FOR THE INEXPLICABLE CRIME.
DURING THE TRIAL,
THE STATE ASSERTS
THAT BOBBY KILLED DIANE
OUT OF ANGER AND JEALOUSY.
HE COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT HER,
BUT HE DIDN'T WANT HER
TO BE WITH ANYONE ELSE,
SO HE HAD TO GET RID OF HER,
ONCE AND FOR ALL.
AND HE REALIZED ROBYN SHARED
HER ANGER AND FRUSTRATION
WITH DIANE.
JUST DAYS BEFORE
SHE GOES MISSING,
THE PROSECUTION DESCRIBES
HOW DIANE AND ROBYN
HAD FOUGHT FOR THE ATTENTION
OF ROBERT VASQUEZ.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Saracco:
HE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE
CATALYSTS FOR ROBYN'S JEALOUSY,
BOTH HE AND LAURA SCHULTZ.
SHE SEES THAT LAURA SCHULTZ
IS NOW BECOMING
INVOLVED WITH DIANE.
NOW, ROBYN FELT THAT, "LISTEN,
IF SHE'S GONNA BECOME INVOLVED
WITH ANY WOMAN, IT SHOULD BE ME
AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE.
I'M THE ONE WHO SUPPORTED
HER DOWN THE LINE
AND I'M THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE
THE ONE CLOSE TO HER."
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
FRIENDS AND SPECTATORS
HAVE THEIR OWN SPECULATIONS
ABOUT ROBYN.
Musto:
"I BOUGHT YOU THIS.
I BOUGHT YOU THIS.
NOW, I HAVE GOT TO BE
INVOLVED IN YOUR LIFE."
Santisario:
ROBYN WASN'T IN LOVE.
SHE WAS OBSESSED.
SHE WANTED THIS PERSON.
SHE WANTED TO CHANGE THIS PERSON
AND SHE COULDN'T DO IT,
SO SHE KILLED HER.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
ROBYN'S ATTORNEY PAINTS
A DIFFERENT PICTURE.
Reporter:
THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY
FOR ROBYN ARNOLD
SAYS HIS CLIENT
SIMPLY DIDN'T DO IT,
THAT THE PROSECUTION
HAS NO PROOF SHE DID.
ROBYN'S ATTORNEY
BASED HIS WHOLE CASE
ON HER BEING
THE POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL,
GOT MIXED UP WITH
THE WRONG CROWD.
BOB WAS PORTRAYED
AS A JEALOUS HUSBAND.
HE CONCOCTED THE WHOLE STORY.
IT WAS ALL HIS DOING.
IT WAS A JEALOUSY THING.
HE DIDN'T WANT HER
WITH ANYONE ELSE.
Narrator:
WHEN DOMINICK GIORGIO
TAKES THE STAND TO TESTIFY
THAT HE OVERHEARD ROBYN TALKING
ABOUT KILLING DIANE,
ROSEN HAS A CLEVER ARGUMENT.
MR. ROSEN INTRODUCED
A "GENERAL HOSPITAL,"
THE TV SOAP OPERA.
Narrator:
THE EPISODE WAS
FROM DECEMBER 8, 1981,
AND AIRED RIGHT AROUND THE TIME
DOMINICK HAD CLAIMED
TO OVERHEAR ROBYN'S CONFESSION.
AN ACTRESS CAN BE HEARD
CLEARLY SAYING...
[sobbing]
I LOVE DIANE TAYLOR
AND I KILLED HER.
[ EERIE MUSIC CLIMBS ]
ROSEN'S SUGGESTION
TO THE JURY WAS THAT
WHAT WAS OVERHEARD
WAS NOT ROBYN SAYING THIS,
BUT WHAT WAS OVERHEARD
WAS WHAT WAS BEING SAID
ON THE TELEVISION.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
THE ASTONISHING TWO-WEEK TRIAL
ENDS ON OCTOBER 6, 1982.
IT TAKES ANOTHER FOUR DAYS
FOR THE SIX-MAN, SIX-WOMAN JURY
TO REACH A VERDICT.
[ THUD ]
Saracco:
THE JURY FOUND ROBERT FERRARA
GUILTY OF MURDER
IN THE SECOND DEGREE.
AND FOUND ROBYN ARNOLD
NOT GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
BOBBY IS SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
WHO KNOWS IF THE JURORS
MADE THE RIGHT CALL?
WHO KNOWS IF
THEY BOTH WERE GUILTY?
PERHAPS IT WAS JUST BOBBY,
AND ROBYN DESERVED TO GO FREE.
♪♪♪♪
Santisario:
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
TO THIS DAY, I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
REAL-TRUTH REASON WAS.
I'VE CONTACTED BOB A FEW TIMES
WHEN HE WAS IN PRISON.
I WENT THERE TO SEE HIM,
TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHY,
AND I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.
Narrator:
ROBYN WENT ON TO GET MARRIED
AND RAISE A FAMILY.
BOBBY DID HIS TIME IN PRISON
AND WAS RELEASED IN 2008.
♪♪♪♪
[ MELANCHOLY TUNE PLAYS ]
IN A DECADE THAT WOULD BE
DEFINED BY DRAMATIC CHANGES
IN GAY COMMUNITIES
AND SENSATIONAL TRIALS
IN THE MEDIA,
DIANE DELIA'S CASE STOOD OUT,
BUT THE REALITIES
OF THE DIANE DELIA HOMICIDE
WERE MORE THAN JUST
TABLOID HEADLINES.
WELL, ONE OF THE FASCINATING
THINGS ABOUT THIS CASE
IS IT'S NOT CUT-AND-DRY.
IT'S NOT BLACK-AND-WHITE.
IT'S NOT HATER/VICTIM.
THESE ARE PEOPLE
WHO SUPPOSEDLY LOVED HER.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE
IN HER LIFE.
SO, IT DOESN'T FALL
INTO THE USUAL
MORALITY TALE
THAT WE LIKE TO TELL
ABOUT HOW HORRIBLE IT IS
TO HAVE HATERS PICK ON THE LGBT.
IT'S MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT.
IT'S MUCH SADDER
THAN THAT.
I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER
WHAT A GOOD PERSON SHE WAS.
WHEREVER SHE WENT, SHE WAS
A STAR.
SHE WAS A MAGNIFICENT PERSON.
I'LL NEVER FORGET HER.
♪♪♪♪
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Reporter: TO CALL ALL OF THIS
BIZARRE WOULD BE
AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
Santisario:
IT WAS A BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE.
SHE WANTED JOHN AS A BOYFRIEND.
I THINK, IN HER MIND,
SHE WAS GONNA CHANGE HIM.
BUT THAT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
THEY'D YELL OUT, "QUEER, QUEER!"
Musto:
IT'S NOT CUT-AND-DRY.
IT'S NOT BLACK-AND-WHITE.
IT'S NOT HATER/VICTIM.
I KNOW THAT HE WAS THERE,
AND THEN,
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
HE WAS MISSING.
IT WAS ALL JEALOUSY.
I MEAN, THERE WAS SO MUCH
JEALOUSY GOING ON.
WHEN YOU GOT TOO CLOSE
TO THE FIRE, IT COULD BURN YOU.
Musto:
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD
PREVIOUSLY BEEN UNCHARTERED.
IT WASN'T YOUR RUN-OF-THE-MILL
MURDER CASE.
[ KILLING JOKE'S
"EIGHTIES" PLAYS ]
THE PERSON WHO I THOUGHT WAS
A FEMALE WAS NOT A FEMALE.
IF IT WAS A ROBBERY, OF COURSE,
IT WAS A VIOLENT ONE.
THIS WAS NOT GONNA
BE INVESTIGATED
AS SOME SORT OF HATE CRIME.
WHY WOULD ANYBODY DO THIS?
HOW COULD IT HAPPEN?
Killing Joke:
♪♪ AH AH AH AH ♪♪
♪♪ EIGHTIES ♪♪
♪♪ I'M LIVIN' IN THE EIGHTIES ♪♪
♪♪ EIGHTIES ♪♪
JUST SAY NO.
♪♪ WELL, I HAVE TO PUSH ♪♪
- [SIREN CHIRPS]
♪♪ I HAVE TO STRUGGLE, OH! ♪♪
♪♪ EIGHTIES ♪♪
[ CLOCK TICKS,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLES ]
Narrator:
THE START OF THE '80s
MARKS THE END
[ APPLAUSE ]
OF THE U. S.- RUSSIA DéTENTE...
Carter:
I AM ENTRUSTED
WITH THE SECURITY
OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.
...AND A FINALE
FOR ARCHIE BUNKER.
♪♪ THOSE WERE THE DAYS ♪♪
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
BUT, AS THE '70s COME TO AN END,
THE REIGNING ERA OF DISCO
IS STILL GOING STRONG.
ROD STEWART...
- ♪♪ IF YOU WANT MY BODY ♪♪
♪♪ AND YOU THINK
I'M SEXY ♪♪
...BLONDIE...
♪♪ SOON TURNED OUT ♪♪
♪♪ I HAD
A HEART OF GLASS ♪♪
[ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ]
...AND THE QUEEN OF THEM ALL...
DIANA ROSS.
♪♪ I'M COMING OUT! ♪♪
THE PALACE WHERE THEY ALL
PLAY AND PARTY INTO THE NIGHT
IS LEGENDARY.
STUDIO 54.
YOU WOULD LOOK AROUND
AND SEE TRUMAN CAPOTE,
CHER, DOLLY PARTON,
ANDY WARHOL, HALSTON,
LIZA MINNELLI.
I DANCED WITH MARGAUX HEMINGWAY
JUST BECAUSE
I WAS NEXT TO HER
ON THE DANCEFLOOR.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
WHILE MANHATTAN
IS THE EPICENTER OF DISCO,
BY 1978, KIDS IN THE SUBURBS
DON'T NEED TO LINE UP
OUTSIDE STUDIO 54
TO DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY.
I THINK THE REASON THAT PEOPLE
STARTED EMBRACING DISCO
WAS JUST BECAUSE
IT WAS GREAT MUSIC
AND A LOT OF IT
WAS AT GAY CLUBS.
Narrator:
JUST NORTH OF MANHATTAN,
IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY,
THE DOWNTOWN AREAS
ARE SPRINKLED WITH DISCOS,
LIKE THE PLAYROOM AND ZIPPERZ.
THESE CLUBS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
AS GLITZY AS STUDIO 54,
BUT THEY WERE PLACES WHERE
YOUNG SUBURBAN GAY KIDS
JUST COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET
COULD FIT IN AND GET DOWN.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ CLOCK TICKING ]
[ UPBEAT TUNE PLAYS ]
AND NO ONE EMBRACED THAT MORE
THAN 21-YEAR-OLD JOHN DELIA.
JOHN DELIA WAS A GAY MAN.
JOHN'S BEEN OUT
FROM THE DAY HE WAS BORN.
HE NEVER HID WHO HE WAS.
Narrator:
JOHN FEELS RIGHT AT HOME IN THE
GAY CLUB SCENE IN WESTCHESTER.
Santisario:
HE PRETTY MUCH LIVED
TO DANCE AND PARTY.
Narrator:
GROWING UP IN RIVERDALE, A BRONX
SUBURB JUST NORTH OF MANHATTAN,
JOHN SHOWED AN EARLY
PASSION FOR THE STAGE.
WHEN JOHN WAS A CHILD,
HE LIKED DRESSING UP
AND PERFORMING
AND ENTERTAINING,
AND HIS MOTHER PRETTY
MUCH ENCOURAGED IT.
HIS FATHER REALLY
DIDN'T CARE FOR THAT.
♪♪♪♪
THERE WAS A MUCH,
MUCH LARGER GAY CULTURE
THAN THERE EVER
HAD BEEN BEFORE.
[ ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
Narrator:
AND JOHN IS DRAWN TO IT.
HIS NEED TO PERFORM INEVITABLY
BRINGS HIM TO THE STAGE,
WHERE HE DAZZLES AUDIENCES WITH
HIS BREATHTAKING DRAG SHOWS.
♪♪♪♪
BY 1978, JOHN IS DRIVING
THE AUDIENCES WILD
IN REGULAR PERFORMANCES
AT ZIPPERZ.
HIS MAIN CHARACTER
WAS DIANA ROSS.
I FEEL,
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL,
THAT DIANA ROSS
IS THE ULTIMATE ENTERTAINER.
I MEAN, SHE JUST
RADIATES SPARKLE.
SHE HAS TO HAVE SEQUINS
IN HER BLOOD.
Santisario:
YOU'D SWEAR THAT YOU WERE
LOOKING AT DIANA ROSS.
HIS COSTUMES WERE GREAT.
I MEAN, HE'D BLIND YOU,
IF THE LIGHTS HIT HIM DIRECTLY,
FROM ALL THE SEQUINS.
Campanaro:
HE USED TO LOVE TO PERFORM.
HE LOVED BEING ONSTAGE.
I THINK HE REALLY LOVED
THE ATTENTION.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ CHEERING ]
Narrator:
ONSTAGE, JOHN RADIATES
CONFIDENCE AND SUCCESS.
BUT, BEHIND THE SCENES,
HE STRUGGLES WITH QUESTIONS
ABOUT HIS IDENTITY,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO HIS GENDER.
Santisario:
HE WAS TAKING HORMONES
WHEN I MET HIM.
HE DIDN'T FEEL
THAT HE WAS A MAN.
HE SHOULD'VE NEVER BEEN A MAN.
Narrator:
THE HORMONES HELP HIM
DEVELOP BREASTS
AND ALTER HIS APPEARANCE
TO LOOK MORE FEMININE.
HE ALSO GOES UNDER THE KNIFE
FOR SOME MINOR PLASTIC SURGERY.
Santisario:
HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE HIMSELF
LOOK LIKE DIANA ROSS
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
HE HAD A NOSE JOB.
HE HAD HIS ADAM'S APPLE SHAVED.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A PICTURE OF HIM
HOLDING UP THE DIANA ROSS ALBUM
AND SHOWING HIS PROFILE
TO THE DIANA ROSS PROFILE.
Narrator:
IN THE MIDST OF THIS
TRANSFORMATION, IN 1978,
JOHN MEETS BOBBY FERRARA,
AN EX-NAVY RECRUIT
WHO GETS A JOB
AS A BARTENDER AT ZIPPERZ.
♪♪♪♪
HE WAS A VERY
NICE-LOOKING GENTLEMAN
AND HE HAD THAT PERSONALITY
THAT BROUGHT EVERYBODY IN.
AND I THINK JOHN WAS JUST
VERY DRAWN TO HIM.
JOHN WAS DOING A SHOW
AND BOB WAS BARTENDING
AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
[chuckle]
Narrator:
IT'S A CLASSIC CASE
OF OPPOSITES ATTRACT.
Campanaro:
BOBBY WAS MORE
OF A CONSERVATIVE PERSON,
WHEREAS, JOHN,
HE WAS VERY OUT THERE.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
BUT, IN THIS ERA,
BEING OUT THERE
STILL COMES WITH SOME RISKS.
BACK IN THE LATE '70s/
EARLY '80s,
YOU COULDN'T WALK
DOWN THE STREET
ARM-IN-ARM WITH YOUR PARTNER.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
YOU'D GET BEAT UP.
Santisario:
I REMEMBER ONE TIME STANDING
ON A CORNER AT THE PLAYROOM.
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
[ SHOUTING ]
A CARLOAD OF PEOPLE CAME BY,
SCREAMING
[ GLASS BREAKS ]
ALL KINDS OF OBSCENITIES
AT THE PEOPLE STANDING ON THE
CORNER OUTSIDE THE CLUB.
Campanaro:
THEY'D YELL OUT, "QUEER, QUEER!"
THEY WERE THROWING BOTTLES
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT WASN'T A COOL TIME
TO BE YOURSELF.
YOU KIND OF HAD TO HIDE IT.
[ MELANCHOLY TUNE PLAYS ]
[ WAVES LAPPING ]
Narrator:
BUT JOHN ISN'T WILLING
TO HIDE HIS LOVE FOR BOBBY.
♪♪♪♪
JOHN DELIA WAS VERY MUCH
IN LOVE WITH BOBBY
AND YOU COULD JUST TELL BECAUSE
JOHN SPOKE ABOUT BOBBY
ALL THE TIME.
Narrator:
AND JOHN HAS BIG PLANS
FOR THEIR FUTURE.
HE USED TO TELL ME,
"IT'S THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.
I'M GONNA MARRY HIM SOMEDAY."
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
BUT, LIKE MANY PASSIONATE
LOVE AFFAIRS,
JEALOUSY SOON CREEPS IN.
Santisario:
THEY ARGUED ABOUT PEOPLE
HITTING ON BOB.
JOHN DIDN'T LIKE THAT.
AND BOB'S LIKE
"I'M A BARTENDER.
I GOTTA FLIRT WITH THE PEOPLE,
OR I DON'T MAKE MONEY."
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
THEIR TUMULTUOUS LOVE AFFAIR
IS CUT SHORT
WHEN, SOON AFTER MEETING,
NAVY MILITARY POLICE SHOW UP.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Santisario:
BOB GOT ARRESTED BECAUSE
HE WAS AWOL FROM THE SERVICE.
THEY TOOK HIM TO PRISON
IN CALIFORNIA.
Narrator:
DEVASTATED, JOHN CAN'T
BRING HIMSELF TO MOVE ON.
Santisario:
HE WASN'T OUT,
LOOKING FOR ANYONE ELSE,
EVEN WHILE BOB WAS IN PRISON.
HE WAS STILL IN LOVE
WITH BOB.
HE WAS STILL DOING HIS SHOWS,
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
THAT HE COULD.
AND THAT'S WHERE HE MET ROBYN.
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator: ONE NIGHT,
22-YEAR-OLD ROBYN ARNOLD
DRIVES UP TO THE ENTRANCE
AT ZIPPERZ.
Santisario:
WHEN ROBYN PULLED UP,
SHE HAD A CADILLAC
AND, AS SHE GOT OUT OF THE CAR
AND SHE WAS WALKING
INTO THE CLUB,
JOHN SAID TO ROBYN,
"MUST BE VERY NICE, DRIVING
AROUND IN DADDY'S CADILLAC"
AND SHE WAS LIKE "NO, NO,
DARLING, IT'S MY CAR."
RIGHT THEN AND THERE,
THEY BECAME REALLY GOOD FRIENDS.
[ FOREBODING MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
SPUNKY, ATTRACTIVE, AND RICH,
ROBYN IS USED TO GETTING
WHATEVER SHE WANTS.
ROBYN CAME FROM A WEALTHY,
PROMINENT FAMILY
IN MADISON, IN NEW YORK CITY,
AND ROBYN HERSELF PURSUED
MEDICINE BY BECOMING A NURSE.
Narrator:
TO ROBYN, JOHN REPRESENTS
EVERYTHING SHE ISN'T:
EDGY, ADVENTUROUS,
AND LIVING ON THE FRINGE.
THEY HIT IT OFF,
AND SHE BECOMES A MAINSTAY
IN HIS GROUP OF FRIENDS.
SHE CONNECTED RIGHT AWAY
WITH JOHN.
NOT LONG AFTER MEETING,
ROBYN STARTS THINKING OF JOHN
AS MORE THAN A FRIEND.
I THINK SHE WAS INFATUATED
WITH HIM COMPLETELY.
THE FEELING IS MUTUAL.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE,
JOHN IS SMITTEN WITH A WOMAN.
HE AND ROBYN SOON
BECOME INSEPARABLE.
WHEREVER JOHN WAS,
YOU WOULD SEE ROBYN.
SHE WOULD STAY OVER.
SHE'D BE IN HIS ROOM.
THEY WOULD COME OUT GIGGLING.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
JOHN'S FRIENDS ARE SURPRISED
BY THE NEW LOVE IN HIS LIFE.
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
BUT THE REAL SHOCK COMES
WHEN HE TELLS THEM HE'S DECIDED
THAT HE DOESN'T WANT
TO BECOME A WOMAN AFTER ALL.
Santisario:
HE DID STOP TAKING HORMONES.
HE WANTED TO STOP THE PROCESS.
HE REALLY WASN'T SURE
WHAT HE WANTED.
BOB WAS GONE.
ROBYN'S IN THE PICTURE.
"DO I WANT TO BE ALONE?
DO I WANT TO HAVE
A RELATIONSHIP?"
HE WAS VERY CONFUSED,
I THINK, AT THAT POINT.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
AS 1980 KICKS OFF,
THINGS GET SERIOUS
BETWEEN ROBYN AND JOHN.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
SHE RENTED A PLACE IN THE
CENTURY TOWERS IN RIVERDALE
AND HE MOVED IN WITH HER
AND THEY LIVED THERE TOGETHER.
♪♪♪♪
I FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE
MAKING PLANS TO GET MARRIED.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
AND WHILE JOHN MAY BE GIVING UP
ON BECOMING A WOMAN,
HE ISN'T GIVING UP ON HIS CAREER
AS A DRAG PERFORMER.
AND ROBYN WAS VERY INVESTED IN
JOHN'S PERFORMANCE CAREER, ALSO.
SHE WAS BUYING OUTFITS FOR HIM.
Narrator:
LIKE JOHN, ROBYN'S ON HER
OWN IDENTITY QUEST,
AND IT SEEMS LIKE SHE'S FOUND IT
IN THEIR UNLIKELY PARTNERSHIP.
Santisario:
JOHN WAS ALWAYS
THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.
HE WAS LIKE A MAGNET.
EVERYBODY WANTED
TO BE AROUND HIM.
WHEN SHE WAS WITH JOHN, SHE WAS
ALSO CENTER OF ATTENTION.
BUT I THINK JOHN NEEDED
THAT ONE PERSON
THAT WOULD IDOLIZE HIM,
MAKE HIM THEIR CENTER,
SO, TOGETHER,
THEY LIKE FED OFF EACH OTHER.
BUT, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN
YOU GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE FIRE...
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
...IT COULD BURN YOU.
♪♪♪♪
WHEN BOB WAS RELEASED AND CAME
BACK, EVERYTHING CHANGED.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ HEARTBEAT ]
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator:
IN THE WINTER OF 1980,
THE PARTY'S OVER AT STUDIO 54
WHEN THE OWNERS ARE ARRESTED
FOR TAX EVASION.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
[ ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
BUT THE DISCO SCENE IS STILL
GOING STRONG IN WESTCHESTER
AND ROBYN ARNOLD IS THRILLED
TO BE AT THE CENTER OF IT.
SHE AND JOHN DELIA ARE ENGAGED
AND LIVING TOGETHER.
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
THEN, BOBBY FERRARA,
JOHN'S EX-BOYFRIEND,
IS RELEASED FROM MILITARY PRISON
AND RETURNS TO WESTCHESTER.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ FOREBODING MUSIC PLAYS ]
Longo:
HE WAS IN THE NAVY AND HE HAD
DID SOME TIME FOR GOING AWOL.
HE WAS DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED.
Santisario:
JOHN NEVER FELL OUT
OF LOVE WITH BOB.
♪♪♪♪
AS SOON AS BOB CAME BACK,
JOHN TOLD HER,
"I WANT TO GO BACK WITH BOB."
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
ROBYN SOON FINDS
HERSELF SIDELINED.
BACK IN 1980, WHEN, I THINK,
THERE WASN'T AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT GAY PEOPLE, IN GENERAL,
ROBYN MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT
SHE COULD CHANGE JOHN.
Musto:
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL.
THERE ARE OTHER STRAIGHT WOMEN
THAT HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED
WITH GAY MEN,
THINKING THEY CAN CHANGE THEM.
Narrator:
ROBYN REALIZES SHE CAN'T
COMPETE WITH THE LOVE
THAT JOHN AND BOBBY SHARE.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
BUT ROBYN DOESN'T RUN OFF
TO NURSE HER WOUNDS.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
INSTEAD, UNWILLING TO BE
OUT OF JOHN'S LIFE ALTOGETHER,
SHE BECOMES THE COUPLE'S
THIRD WHEEL.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
SHE WASN'T THRILLED
WITH THE FACT
THAT SHE WAS LOSING HER FIANCé,
THE PERSON WHO SHE
TURNED STRAIGHT.
BUT SHE TRIED TO STAY
IN THE PICTURE.
SHE WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION,
"WELL, IF I CAN'T HAVE HIM,
I'LL BE HIS FRIEND,
HIS BEST GIRLFRIEND."
Narrator:
AND, IN ORDER TO DO THAT,
SHE EMBRACES A CLOSE FRIENDSHIP
WITH BOBBY, AS WELL.
ALL THREE OF THEM
BECOME REALLY CLOSE.
IT'S LIKE IT WAS JUST WEIRD.
I MEAN, JOHN WAS SPENDING MOST
OF HIS PRIVATE TIME WITH BOB,
BUT, JOHN WAS STILL
LIVING WITH ROBYN.
BOB WAS THERE ALL THE TIME.
AND THEY WERE TRIO.
WHEREVER ONE WENT,
THE OTHER TWO WENT ALONG.
♪♪♪♪
I DON'T BLAME YOU --
Narrator:
BUT THINGS BETWEEN
JOHN AND BOBBY
DON'T EXACTLY GO BACK TO THE WAY
THEY WERE BEFORE BOBBY LEFT.
THEY BECOME EVEN
MORE COMPLICATED.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM
THEY WERE HAVING WAS THAT
BOB WAS CLAIMING
THAT HE WASN'T TOTALLY GAY
AND HE WANTED TO BE
WITH A WOMAN, AT THAT POINT.
AND I THINK JOHN'S THINKING WAS,
"WELL, IF I'M A WOMAN,
HE MIGHT BE MORE
ATTRACTED TO ME."
[ EERIE CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
IT REKINDLES JOHN'S DESIRE
TO TRANSITION INTO A WOMAN.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
JOHN BEGINS TAKING
THE HORMONES AGAIN,
BUT, THIS TIME, HE DECIDES
TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER.
Campanaro:
GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY
WAS KIND OF IN ITS INFANCY,
AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
IT WASN'T VERY COMMON AT ALL,
NOT LIKE TODAY.
Narrator:
THE WAY WAS PAVED
BY CHRISTINE JORGENSEN,
WHO WAS THE FIRST WOMAN
IN THE U. S. TO UNDERGO
A SUCCESSFUL
GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY.
Reporter:
CHRISTINE HIT THE HEADLINES
FOLLOWING THE SERIES
OF OPERATIONS IN DENMARK
THAT TRANSFORM HER
FROM A BOY INTO A GIRL.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
BUT IN 1980, IT'S RARE,
RISKY, AND NOT CHEAP.
BUT, ONCE AGAIN,
ROBYN OFFERS TO HELP.
Longo:
ROBYN PAID FOR THE OPERATION.
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS BEST FOR JOHN
AND SHE WAS TRYING TO HELP HIM.
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ HOLLOW TUNE REVERBERATES ]
Narrator:
AFTER THE GRUELING SURGERY
AND A FEW WEEKS OF RECOVERY,
JOHN RETURNS FROM THE
HOSPITAL, CHANGED.
HE IS NOW, OFFICIALLY,
AND FOREVER, A SHE
AND TO PAY HOMAGE TO HER
FAVORITE DIVA, DIANA ROSS,
SHE RECHRISTENS HERSELF AS
DIANE.
Campanaro:
SHE LOOKED GORGEOUS.
IT WORKED.
IT WORKED FOR HIM.
HE WAS REALLY ATTRACTIVE.
Santisario:
AT THIS POINT, NOW,
DIANE WAS ECSTATIC
WITH HER NEW SURGERY,
HER LADY PARTS.
SHE WAS SO PROUD OF IT,
VERY PROUD OF IT.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DIANE FINDS NEW CONFIDENCE,
AND WORK, IN HER NEW SKIN.
SHE'S SOON HIRED AS A MODEL
FOR THE MOST AMERICAN
AND TRADITIONAL OF BRANDS.
♪♪ AVON ♪♪
♪♪ AND YOU NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD ♪♪
DIANE DID ONE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR AVON
AND DIANE WAS STANDING THERE,
LOOKING ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
NOBODY COULD'VE TOLD
THAT SHE WAS TRANSGENDER.
♪♪♪♪
[ ETHEREAL CHORALE PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DIANE IS JUST AS GLOWING
WHEN, IN AUGUST 1981,
SHE AND BOBBY TIE THE KNOT
AS HUSBAND AND WIFE.
RIGHT BY THEIR SIDE,
AS ALWAYS, IS ROBYN,
WHO EVEN HELPS BOBBY
BUY THE RING.
SHE GAVE ROBERT $1,400
TO BUY AN ENGAGEMENT RING.
[ SINISTER-EERIE TUNE PLAYS ]
Santisario:
DIANE ALWAYS SAID,
"I'M GONNA MARRY HIM SOMEDAY,
NO MATTER WHAT I HAVE TO DO,"
AND HE DID IT. [chuckle]
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
AND THE NEW COUPLE
MOVES IN TOGETHER,
BUT MARITAL BLISS
DOES NOT LAST LONG.
NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS LATER, WHEN
THE HONEYMOON PHASE WEARS OFF,
DIANE AND BOBBY
BEGIN BICKERING AGAIN.
I THINK THEY BOTH THOUGHT,
BY JOHN BECOMING DIANE,
IT WOULD FIX EVERYTHING,
BUT IT DIDN'T.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
SEXUAL RELATIONS WAS
THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEM
BECAUSE BOB DECIDED
HE WASN'T FINDING HER
AS ATTRACTIVE PHYSICALLY,
WASN'T PIQUING HIS INTEREST,
SHALL WE SAY.
AND HE STARTED
TO LOOK AT GUYS AGAIN.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
DIANE IS CRUSHED.
SHE ACTS OUT, AND HE RETALIATES.
THEY WOULD START DOING THINGS
LIKE PLAYING UP TO OTHER PEOPLE
TO MAKE EACH OTHER JEALOUS.
DIANE WOULD PLAY UP TO OTHER
GUYS; BOB WOULD DO THE SAME.
THEY'D HAVE AN ARGUMENT
ABOUT IT.
ONE WOULD STORM OFF,
USUALLY BOB.
THAT'S WHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIP
STARTED TO DETERIORATE.
Narrator:
AS HER RELATIONSHIP
WITH BOBBY FALLS APART,
DIANE SPENDS EVEN
MORE TIME WITH ROBYN.
EVEN AFTER THE
SEX-CHANGE OPERATION,
DIANE AND ROBYN STILL MAINTAINED
A VERY CLOSE FRIENDSHIP.
Santisario:
ROBYN TREATED DIANE, NOW, LIKE
THEY WERE GIRLFRIENDS FOR LIFE,
BUT I THINK SHE WAS STILL
IN LOVE WITH THE IDEA OF JOHN.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
DIANE BEGINS TO PURSUE
STRAIGHT SINGLE MEN
AND QUICKLY FINDS
THAT ROBYN AND SHE
ARE GOING AFTER THE SAME GUYS,
CAUSING TENSION BETWEEN
THE CLOSE FRIENDS.
Santisario:
ROBYN AND DIANE
WERE VERY COMPETITIVE.
DIANE WOULD MEET SOMEBODY.
ROBYN WOULD ALWAYS INTERVENE.
Narrator:
IN SEPTEMBER 1981,
AS DIANE AND BOBBY
DRIFT FURTHER APART,
SHE MEETS SOME NEW
STRAIGHT FRIENDS AT THE CLUB:
ROBERT VASQUEZ,
AN AUTO-PARTS SALESMAN;
AND LAURA SCHULTZ,
A MAKEUP ARTIST.
Saracco:
ROBERT VASQUEZ WAS A GENTLEMAN
THAT DIANE MET AT ZIPPERZ.
LAURA BECAME PART OF THIS GROUP
THAT HUNG OUT AT ZIPPERZ.
Narrator:
SHE STARTS HANGING OUT WITH THEM
RIGHT AS THINGS WITH BOBBY
ARE COMING TO A HEAD.
FINALLY, DIANE DECIDES
TO STOP LIVING THE NIGHTMARE
THAT HAS BECOME
HER MARRIAGE TO BOBBY.
DIANE ACTUALLY MOVED OUT
AND MOVED BACK IN WITH ROBYN.
Narrator:
AND THEIR NEW ACQUAINTANCES
AGREE TO LEND A HAND.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
AFTER THEY FINISH
UNLOADING BOXES,
THE GROUP SITS DOWN
FOR A BITE TO EAT.
AND A LOT TO DRINK.
SOON, DIANE AND ROBYN
FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION
ON ONE OF THEIR NEW FRIENDS.
ROBERT VASQUEZ WAS GOOD-LOOKING,
GOOD-LOOKING GUY,
AND DIANE WAS INTERESTED
AND, ANYTHING DIANE WANTED,
ROBYN WANTED.
Saracco:
AT ONE POINT, HE FEELS
DIANE DELIA'S HAND
ON ONE OF HIS KNEES
AND ROBYN ARNOLD'S HAND
ON THE OTHER KNEE.
THIS MAKES HIM
VERY UNCOMFORTABLE
AND HE ACTUALLY GETS UP
AND GOES INTO THE BATHROOM
SO HE CAN EXTRICATE HIMSELF
FROM THE SITUATION.
Narrator:
THE COMPETITION IS ON.
ROBYN MAKES THE NEXT MOVE.
HE HAD AN ENCOUNTER
WITH ROBYN ARNOLD
WHERE SHE BEGINS
ACTUALLY FLASHING HIM.
Narrator:
ROBYN CORNERS VASQUEZ IN A ROOM
AND BEGINS TO CHANGE
IN FRONT OF HIM.
Saracco:
SHE BEGINS TELLING HIM
THAT HER VAGINA IS REAL
AND THAT DIANE'S IS FAKE.
Narrator:
NOT TO BE OUTDONE, DIANE
FLIRTS WITH LAURA SCHULTZ.
DIANE WAS MAKING
A PLAY FOR LAURA.
SHE WAS NEW TO THE GROUP,
SO SHE SWALLOWED THAT RIGHT UP.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
THE NEXT MORNING,
ROBYN CATCHES LAURA AND DIANE
IN AN INTIMATE MOMENT.
♪♪♪♪
ROBYN WALKS IN ON DIANE DELIA
AND LAURA SCHULTZ.
SHE SEES THEM TOGETHER.
THIS UPSETS ROBYN QUITE A BIT.
Santisario:
ROBYN GOT MAD:
"WHY ARE YOU WITH HER?"
ROBYN DIDN'T WANT DIANE
WITH ANYONE ELSE.
IT WAS JUST A JEALOUSY THING.
IT WAS A BIG GAME,
BAD GAME.
[ SUSPENSEFUL FLOURISH PLAYS ]
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
THREE DAYS AFTER DIANE
MOVES IN WITH ROBYN,
TENSIONS ARE
AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH.
DIANE'S NOW ON THE OUTS WITH
HER HUSBAND AND HER BEST FRIEND.
SHE COMES TO HER FRIEND GARY
WITH A REQUEST.
THAT EVENING,
DIANE CAME BY MY HOME
AND ASKED ME
IF SHE COULD STAY WITH ME.
Narrator:
DIANE TELLS GARY SHE HAS
TO GO OUT THAT NIGHT.
I SAY, "WHY?
WHAT'S GOING ON?"
SHE GOES, "I CAN'T EXPLAIN NOW,
BUT, WHEN I GET BACK,
CAN I STAY WITH YOU
FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS?"
AND I WAS LIKE, "YEAH, SURE."
Narrator:
SHE LEAVES THE APARTMENT
AROUND 7;30,
DRESSED UP IN A PAIR
OF PURPLE PANTS, TANK TOP,
AND LAVENDER SUEDE HEELS.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
AND THAT WAS THE LAST
I SAW OF HER.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ HEARTBEAT ]
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ DISTORTED TUNE PLAYS ]
Narrator:
IT'S BEEN THREE WEEKS
SINCE DIANE DELIA WAS LAST SEEN,
LEAVING HER FRIEND
GARY SANTISARIO'S APARTMENT.
[ SIREN WAILING ]
NEW YORK CITY POLICE
FROM THE 10th PRECINCT
RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY CALL.
THE PATROL SERGEANT
HAD CALLED THE PRECINCT
AND REQUESTED DETECTIVES RESPOND
TO 28th STREET, HUDSON RIVER.
A BODY WAS FOUND FLOATING
IN THE HUDSON RIVER.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DETECTIVE DONALD LONGO ARRIVES
AT THE SCENE TO INVESTIGATE.
A BODY HAD JUST BEEN
REMOVED FROM THE WATER
AND HE WANTED HELP WITH THE
SEARCH AND THE EXAMINATION.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
THE BODY WAS OUT OF THE WATER,
WRAPPED IN A BLANKET.
I RECALL THE COLOR BEING YELLOW.
TIED WITH A ROPE.
♪♪♪♪
THE HEAD AREA WHERE
THE BLANKET WAS WAS STAINED.
APPARENTLY, SHE HAD
A HEAD WOUND SOMEWHERE.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
THE WOMAN IS DRESSED
FOR AN EVENING OUT,
BUT SOMETHING'S MISSING.
♪♪♪♪
SHE HAD NO SHOES, NO JEWELRY,
NO WALLET,
NO IDENTIFICATION AT ALL.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE
BLANKET UNCOVERS MORE CLUES.
INSIDE THE BLANKET,
THERE WAS GLASS CLIPPINGS
AND TWIGS AND BURRS
AND SO ON
FROM THE GROUND WHERE
THE BLANKET HAD BEEN.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
THE PRESENCE OF THE TWIGS
AND GRASS CLIPPINGS
SUGGEST THE KILLING HAPPENED
IN A WOODED AREA.
THE POLICE SEND THE BODY
TO A MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE
FOR IDENTIFICATION.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH
IS ALSO NOTED.
WHEN THE BODY WAS AUTOPSIED
BY THE MEDICAL EXAMINER,
IT WAS FOUND THAT
THE CAUSE OF DEATH
WAS FOUR GUNSHOT WOUNDS
TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD.
[ OMINOUS CHORDS STRIKING ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
THE AUTOPSY ALSO REVEALS
A SMALL TATTOO
ON THE VICTIM'S ARM.
Longo:
SHE HAD, ON HER LEFT
SHOULDER, A BUNNY TATTOO.
I ADDED THAT INFORMATION
TO THE MISSING-PERSONS REPORT.
Narrator:
AND THEY MAKE A RARE DISCOVERY.
AFTER THE AUTOPSY
RESULTS WERE FILED,
IT WAS CLEAR THAT,
AT ONE TIME,
ALTHOUGH A WOMAN NOW,
AT ONE TIME, IT HAD BEEN A MALE.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
POLICE START THEIR INVESTIGATION
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
WHERE THE BODY WASHED UP,
NEAR 12th AVENUE
AND 28th STREET.
WE STARTED CANVASSING
OUR OWN AREA,
WHICH WAS WITH FEMALE
IMPERSONATORS OR DRAG QUEENS.
THERE WERE PROSTITUTES
THAT WOULD WALK THE STREETS
AROUND 12th AVENUE.
IT WAS KNOWN FOR THAT AREA.
Narrator:
THE BODY OF A TRANSGENDER PERSON
WASHING ASHORE IN AN AREA KNOWN
FOR FEMALE IMPERSONATORS
AND PROSTITUTES
SEEMS LIKE NO COINCIDENCE.
IF YOU FIND THE BODY OF A DEAD
TRANS WOMAN IN THE HUDSON,
CHANCES ARE SOMEBODY
ANGRY, DRUNK, AND VIOLENT
MAYBE RIPPED THEM OFF,
ROBBED THEM, RAPED THEM,
DID GOD KNOWS WHAT,
AND THREW THEM IN THE RIVER.
Narrator:
HER DEATH IS SIMILAR TO THE PLOT
OF A RECENT AL PACINO MOVIE,
"CRUISING."
- UNH!
GAY MEN TARGETED
BY A SERIAL KILLER
ARE WASHING UP ON THE
BANKS OF THE HUDSON.
- [PANTING]
- [THUD]
AND, IN 1981,
THE SAME YEAR THE AIDS VIRUS
IS IDENTIFIED IN THE U. S.,
A BACKLASH AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY
IS ON THE RISE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY...
I THINK HOMOSEXUALITY
IS A MORAL PERVERSION.
...WITH CRUSADERS LIKE
REVEREND JERRY FALWELL
LEADING THE CHARGE.
THIS IS THE EARLY '80s
AND THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC
DESIGNATION BY NYPD,
IN THE PATROL GUIDE
OR ANYWHERE ELSE,
THAT THIS WAS
GONNA BE INVESTIGATED
AS SOME SORT OF HATE CRIME.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator: BUT BEFORE POLICE
CAN UNDERSTAND
THE MOTIVE OF THE KILLER,
FIRST, THEY MUST
IDENTIFY THE BODY.
Longo:
WE CHECKED WITH THE
OTHER PRECINCTS.
THEY HAD NO INFORMATION AT ALL.
Narrator:
THEY FIGURE THEIR BEST BET?
IS THE DRAG QUEEN COMMUNITY
IN NEW YORK CITY.
THEY HAD THEIR OWN NEWSPAPER
ON THE WEST SIDE,
AND THEY PUT AN ARTICLE IN THERE
TO TRY AND HELP US IDENTIFY HIM.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORDS STRIKING ]
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
AND, JUST A WEEK
AFTER DIANE WENT MISSING,
GARY GETS A CALL.
ROBYN AND BOBBY ARE TOGETHER,
SEARCHING FOR DIANE.
Santisario:
BOB AND ROBYN WERE LIKE,
"WE CAN'T FIND DIANE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS.
SHE DISAPPEARED.
SHE WAS MAD AND SHE TOOK OFF.
YOU KNOW HOW SHE IS.
SHE GETS MAD
AND SHE DISAPPEARS
FOR A FEW DAYS."
Narrator:
GARY HASN'T SEEN DIANE
SINCE SHE LEFT ON OCTOBER 7th.
AND, TO BE PERFECTLY
HONEST WITH YOU,
I DIDN'T REALLY
THINK ANYTHING OF IT
BECAUSE DIANE HAD DONE
SOME CRAZY THINGS IN HER PAST
WHEN SHE WANTED
SOMEONE'S ATTENTION.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS ONE
OF THOSE THINGS.
Narrator:
BUT, WHEN HE HEARS
THAT BOBBY AND ROBYN
HAVEN'T SEEN HER, EITHER,
WORRY TURNS TO PANIC.
SO, THAT'S WHEN THEY ALL
DECIDED TO CALL THE POLICE
AND REPORT HER
AS A MISSING PERSON.
[ EERIE CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
ROBYN REPORTS DIANE MISSING
ON OCTOBER 17th,
TO YONKERS POLICE,
BUT THE NEWS DOESN'T FILTER
DOWN TO MANHATTAN.
NOBODY KNOWS WHERE
TO LOOK FOR HER.
WE'D ALL GO TO ROBYN'S
APARTMENT AND HANG OUT
AND WE JUST SAT THERE
AND WAITED PATIENTLY.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
WEEKS PASS BEFORE DIANE'S
WORRIED FRIENDS HEAR ANY NEWS.
BUT THEN, IN LATE NOVEMBER,
THE ARTICLE THAT DETECTIVE LONGO
HAD PLACED IN THE LOCAL DRAG-
QUEEN NEWSLETTER IN MANHATTAN
MAKES ITS WAY TO YONKERS.
FRIENDS SEE THE NOTICE
IN THE PAPER
AND ONE SPECIFIC
DETAIL STANDS OUT.
THERE WAS A PICTURE OF THE BODY
FROM THE SHOULDERS DOWN,
WITH THE BUNNY TATTOO.
ONCE WE SAW THAT,
WE ALL KNEW WHO IT WAS.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
FINALLY, DETECTIVE LONGO GETS
THE CALL HE'S BEEN WAITING FOR.
A YOUNG LADY NAMED ROBYN ARNOLD
HAD COME TO THE MORGUE
TO IDENTIFY THE BODY.
Narrator:
ROBYN IS HORRIFIED, BUT SHE
CONFIRMS THAT IT IS, INDEED,
DIANE.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
[ MELANCHOLY TUNE PLAYS ]
♪♪♪♪
DIANE'S FRIENDS ARE IN SHOCK.
THEIR HOPES THAT SHE HAD
RUN OFF ON A WHIM ARE DASHED.
SHE'S IDENTIFIED AND WE ALL
WENT BACK TO ROBYN'S APARTMENT
AND EVERYBODY WAS LIKE,
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT."
I WAS A MESS.
SHE HAD NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP
AND IT'S SAD TO THINK THAT
THAT WAS EXTINGUISHED.
Narrator:
WITH THE BODY IDENTIFIED,
DETECTIVES MUST NOW FIGURE OUT
WHO WANTED DIANE DELIA DEAD.
POLICE IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO
QUESTION THOSE CLOSE TO DIANE,
STARTING WITH
HER HUSBAND, BOBBY.
VISIBLY DISTRAUGHT,
BOBBY TELLS DETECTIVE LONGO
ABOUT THE LAST TIME
HE SAW DIANE, ON OCTOBER 7th.
HE TOLD ME THEY HAD
HAD AN ARGUMENT
AND THERE WAS QUITE A BIT
OF JEALOUSY BETWEEN THEM.
HE WAS IN LOVE WITH HER, BUT
THEY JUST COULDN'T GET ALONG.
EVERY DAY, THERE WAS
AN ARGUMENT ABOUT SOMETHING.
THEIR RELATIONSHIP
WAS NOT BUILDING.
IT WAS GETTING WORSE.
I ASKED BOBBY ABOUT HIS WIFE
BEING WITHOUT SHOES,
IDENTIFICATION, AND JEWELRY.
HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING,
WHY SHE'D BE WITHOUT SHOES.
A WEDDING RING WAS MISSING.
I ASKED BOBBY
WHERE THE RING WAS
AND HE SAID TO ME,
"BOY, IF I KNEW,
I WOULD TELL YOU, BECAUSE,
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORDS STRIKING ]
IF YOU FIND THE RING,
YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT
WHO KILLED MY WIFE."
[ RING ]
Narrator: THE STATEMENT STICKS
WITH DETECTIVE LONGO.
HE PUTS OUT AN APB
TO CITY PAWNSHOPS,
TO LET AUTHORITIES KNOW
IF SOMEONE TRIES
TO PAWN A WEDDING RING.
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
NEXT, POLICE SPEAK WITH ROBYN.
Longo:
THEN WE WORKED OUR WAY THROUGH
THAT ROBYN WAS PREVIOUSLY
ENGAGED TO THIS PERSON,
WHEN HE WAS A MAN.
SHE PAID FOR THE OPERATION.
SHE GAVE BOBBY $1,400
TO BUY HER AN ENGAGEMENT RING.
SHE WAS A FRIEND OF ROBERT'S,
ALSO, AND THEY WERE A TRIO.
SHE SEEMED TO BE A GENUINE
PERSON WHO CARED FOR THEM.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
MEANWHILE, ROBYN AND BOBBY SEEK
SOLACE IN EACH OTHER'S COMPANY.
Santisario:
HE MOVED OUT; AND HE MOVED IN
WITH ROBYN, AT THAT POINT.
Narrator:
BOBBY AND ROBYN HAD ALWAYS
BEEN CONNECTED THROUGH DIANE,
BUT IT SEEMS HER DEATH
HAS BROUGHT THEM EVEN CLOSER.
OBVIOUSLY, BOBBY WAS VERY
AFFECTED BY DIANE'S DEATH.
THEY NEEDED TO BE
WITH EACH OTHER
BECAUSE IT WAS COMFORTING
TO GATHER
WHEN SUCH A TRAGEDY
HAD OCCURRED.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
WHILE DIANE'S FORMER LOVERS
GRIEVE TOGETHER
UNDER ONE ROOF,
POLICE CONTINUE
TO COME UP EMPTYHANDED
IN THEIR SEARCH
FOR DIANE'S KILLER.
Longo:
WE WERE AT A TOTALLY DEAD END.
WE COVERED EVERY LEAD WE COULD,
WE INTERVIEWED
EVERY PERSON WE COULD,
AND WE STILL DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH
EVIDENCE TO CHARGE ANYBODY.
Narrator:
BUT, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
IN EARLY DECEMBER OF 1981,
DETECTIVES GET THEIR FIRST
BIG BREAK IN THE CASE.
YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT THE BODY
WAS FOUND WITHOUT ANY SHOES ON.
♪♪♪♪
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORDS STRIKING ]
[ ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
Narrator:
WEEKS AFTER DIANE DELIA'S BODY
IS DISCOVERED FLOATING
IN THE HUDSON RIVER,
INVESTIGATORS ARE NO CLOSER
TO UNRAVELING THE MYSTERY
OF HER MURDER.
THEN, HER FRIEND GARY COMES
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
ACROSS A CRITICAL CLUE.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
I WAS AT ROBYN'S HOME
ONE EVENING,
WITH A FEW OTHER PEOPLE,
AND WE WERE GOING
THROUGH THE CLOSET
WHERE ALL DIANE'S COSTUMES
AND THINGS WERE.
Narrator:
SOMETHING IN THE CLOSET
CATCHES HIS EYE.
Santisario:
I FOUND HER LAVENDER PUMPS
IN THE CLOSET.
WHEN THEY FOUND THE BODY,
HER BODY WAS MISSING
HER LAVENDER SUEDE PUMPS.
THAT'S WHERE I STARTED
TO GET A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS.
Narrator:
HIDING HIS SUSPICIONS
FROM ROBYN,
GARY DECIDES TO SMUGGLE
THE PUMPS OUT OF ROBYN'S HOUSE,
TO SHOW THEM TO DETECTIVES.
AT SOME POINT, GARY CALLED ME
AND HE SAID HE HAD
SOME INFORMATION.
Narrator:
THEY MAKE PLANS TO MEET
AT A LOCAL DINER
THAT THE GROUP USED
TO FREQUENT REGULARLY.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE SAW
A PAIR OF PURPLE SHOES
THAT MATCHED THE CLOTHING
THAT DIANE WAS FOUND IN
AND HE SAW THEM SHOES
IN ROBYN'S HOUSE RECENTLY.
Saracco:
HE WAS SURE THAT
THEY WERE HERS.
HE REMEMBERED THEM, THE STYLE.
SHE NEVER HAD TWO PAIR
THAT WERE IDENTICAL.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
HE ALSO TELLS DETECTIVES
HE NOTICED
SOMETHING MISSING
FROM ROBYN'S HOUSE:
A YELLOW BLANKET.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
ON ROBYN'S BED, THERE WAS ALWAYS
A YELLOW BLANKET FOLDED
AT THE FOOT OF THE BED.
I REMEMBERED THAT BLANKET
BECAUSE THE SATIN SEAM
WITH ZIGZAG STITCHING.
WHEN THE POLICE FOUND THE BODY,
IT WAS WRAPPED IN A YELLOW
SATIN BLANKET.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
OTHER THAN GARY'S STORY ABOUT
THE PURPLE SHOES AND BLANKET,
DETECTIVES HAVE NO EVIDENCE TO
CONNECT ROBYN TO DIANE'S DEATH.
BUT AFTER MEETING WITH GARY
AT THE CLIQUE'S LOCAL DINER,
DETECTIVE LONGO
NOTICES SOMETHING.
THE DINER IS NEXT DOOR
TO A PAWNSHOP.
HE REMEMBERS THAT BOBBY FERRARA
TOLD HIM THAT,
IF YOU FIND THE RING, YOU FIND
OUT WHO GOT RID OF THE RING,
YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD SUSPECT.
WE HAVE TO CHECK ON A PAWNSHOP
THAT'S TOO CLOSE
TO WHERE THESE PEOPLE HANG OUT.
Narrator:
THE DETECTIVE ENTERS
THE PAWNSHOP
AND SHOWS THE OWNER
A REPLICA OF THE RING.
HE ASKS HIM IF ANYBODY
HAD PAWNED
SOMETHING LIKE THIS RECENTLY.
Narrator:
THE OWNER TAKES A GOOD
LOOK AT THE RING.
THE PAWNSHOP OWNER
INDICATED THAT HE HAD,
YES, THAT HE RECALLED
THE SPECIFIC RING.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT WHO
ORIGINALLY SOLD HIM THE RING,
THE DETECTIVE SHOWS
THE OWNER PICTURES
OF DIANE'S FRIENDS
AND FORMER LOVERS.
DETECTIVE LONGO THEN SHOWED HIM
PICTURES OF BOBBY FERRARA.
Longo:
BOBBY, HE KNEW HIM.
HE CAME IN AND SOLD
THE RING TO HIM.
Narrator:
COULD DIANE'S KILLER HAVE BEEN
RIGHT UNDER THEIR NOSES
THE WHOLE TIME?
I WENT BACK AND TRIED TO GET
A HOLD OF BOBBY,
BUT HE WAS AMONGST THE MISSING.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ CLOCK TICKING,
ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SIREN WAILING ]
Narrator: IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY
AT THE 10th PRECINCT WHEN
DETECTIVE LONGO FINDS HIMSELF
IN AN INTERROGATION ROOM WITH
A MAN WHO SAYS HE HAS A TIP.
THE MAN SAYS HE HAS INFORMATION
ABOUT THE DEATH OF DIANE DELIA.
HE WAS FRIENDS
WITH BOBBY FERRARA.
HIS NAME IS DOMINICK GIORGIO.
HE'S A FRIEND OF BOBBY'S AND
HAS KNOWN HIM FOR A FEW YEARS.
AFTER DIANE'S DEATH,
HE TELLS LONGO,
HE STARTED SPENDING
MORE TIME WITH BOBBY,
OFTEN HANGING OUT WITH HIM
AND ROBYN AT HER APARTMENT
AND, ONE DAY, WHILE WATCHING
AN EPISODE OF "GENERAL HOSPITAL"
AT HER PLACE,
HE HEARD SOMETHING DISTURBING.
HE ACTUALLY HEARD ROBYN INDICATE
THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED
IN KILLING DIANE.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
HE HEARD ROBYN SAY,
"I KILLED DIANE."
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DETECTIVES INVESTIGATING
THE DEATH OF TRANSSEXUAL
PERFORMER DIANE DELIA
LISTEN AS DOMINICK GIORGIO
DESCRIBES A SHOCKING STATEMENT
HE OVERHEARD
FROM ROBYN ARNOLD.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
HE ACTUALLY HEARD ROBYN INDICATE
THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED
IN KILLING DIANE.
HE HEARD ROBYN SAY,
"I KILLED DIANE."
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
DOMINICK TELLS POLICE
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO,
BUT, SOON AFTER, HE WAS ABLE
TO GET HIS FRIEND BOBBY ALONE
AND. FINALLY, BOBBY BROKE DOWN
AND CONFESSED TO HIM
WHAT HAD HAPPENED THE NIGHT
OF OCTOBER 7, 1981.
DOMINICK CONVINCED BOBBY FERRARA
TO WRITE THIS DOWN.
Narrator:
AND HIS WRITTEN CONFESSION
DESCRIBES DIANE'S DEATH
IN GREAT DETAIL.
[ CRICKETS CHIRPING ]
HE CLAIMS THAT HE
CONVINCED DIANE TO GO
FOR A DRIVE WITH HIM,
TO DISCUSS THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
AND THEN MEET UP WITH ROBYN
LATER THAT NIGHT.
THEY TELL HER THEY FOUND
SOMETHING IN THE WOODS
THAT SHE MAY WANT TO SEE.
HE STATES THAT HE AND ROBYN
LURED DIANE INTO THE WOODS.
Narrator:
ACCORDING TO BOBBY, HE AND DIANE
WERE WALKING NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
ROBYN WAS IN THE REAR.
Longo:
THEY GOT TO WHERE
THEY WERE GOING.
IT'S A SMALL PARK UNDERNEATH
THE TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE,
WHERE PEOPLE DOCK THEIR BOATS.
AND, AT THAT POINT,
ROBYN PULLED OUT THE GUN
[ SINISTER MUSIC PLAYS ]
AND SHOT DIANE IN THE HEAD.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
TWICE.
[ THUD ]
Narrator:
ACCORDING TO BOBBY'S CONFESSION,
AFTER ROBYN SHOOTS DIANE,
BOBBY TAKES THE GUN FROM HER.
BOBBY DIDN'T KNOW
IF SHE WAS DEAD,
BUT HE SHOT HER TWICE MORE.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
HE SHOT THE OTHER TWO SHOTS
BECAUSE THE BODY WAS TWITCHING.
HE DIDN'T WANT DIANE TO SUFFER.
[ SUSPENSEFUL CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
BOBBY SAYS, AFTER THE MURDER,
THEY LEFT DIANE'S BODY
BLEEDING IN THE WOODS.
DAYS LATER, BOBBY CONFESSES,
HE RETURNED TO THE SCENE,
WRAPPED THE BODY
IN THE YELLOW BLANKET,
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CLIMBS ]
AND DUMPED IT INTO THE HUDSON.
[ WATER RUSHING ]
[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]
Saracco:
WE HAD A CONFESSION
FROM BOBBY FERRARA.
WE HAD BOBBY FERRARA
PAWNING THE RING.
WE HAD WITNESSES THAT HAD SEEN
THE MISSING YELLOW BLANKET
THAT'S IDENTICAL TO THE BLANKET
THAT THE BODY WAS WRAPPED IN
AND CONNECTED TO ROBYN ARNOLD.
WE HAD THE PURPLE PUMPS.
WE FELT THAT THAT WAS ENOUGH
THAT WE SHOULD,
AT THIS POINT, MAKE THE ARRESTS,
AND THE ARRESTS WERE MADE.
Narrator:
ON JANUARY 21, 1982,
BOBBY FERRARA IS ARRESTED
FOR THE MURDER OF HIS WIFE,
DIANE DELIA.
THE FOLLOWING DAY,
ROBYN SHARES THE SAME FATE.
♪♪♪♪
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES,
CLOCK TICKING ]
[ ELECTRICITY CRACKLING ]
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
THE CASE GOES TO TRIAL
IN SEPTEMBER OF 1982.
Reporter:
THIS IS A WEIRD ONE,
EVEN BY NEW YORK STANDARDS.
AFTER THE VICTIM HAD
A SEX-CHANGE OPERATION,
BECAME A WOMAN, HE, NOW SHE,
MARRIED THE MALE DEFENDANT
IN THE CASE.
THE DEFENDANTS WERE INDICTED
TOGETHER ON THE SAME INDICTMENT,
FOR MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE
OF DIANE DELIA.
THEY WERE REPRESENTED
SEPARATELY.
THEY COULD NOT HAVE
THE SAME ATTORNEY.
ROBYN'S ATTORNEY
WAS MICHAEL ROSEN.
ROBYN HAD THE
HIGH-PRICED ATTORNEY.
THE DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY
LURED THE VICTIM
TO A WOODED AREA NORTH
OF NEW YORK CITY.
[ MELANCHOLY ELECTRONICA PLAYS ]
Narrator:
ROBYN AND BOBBY SIT SILENTLY
THROUGH THE TRIAL,
OFFERING NO REACTIONS,
AND NO CONCRETE MOTIVES
FOR THE INEXPLICABLE CRIME.
DURING THE TRIAL,
THE STATE ASSERTS
THAT BOBBY KILLED DIANE
OUT OF ANGER AND JEALOUSY.
HE COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT HER,
BUT HE DIDN'T WANT HER
TO BE WITH ANYONE ELSE,
SO HE HAD TO GET RID OF HER,
ONCE AND FOR ALL.
AND HE REALIZED ROBYN SHARED
HER ANGER AND FRUSTRATION
WITH DIANE.
JUST DAYS BEFORE
SHE GOES MISSING,
THE PROSECUTION DESCRIBES
HOW DIANE AND ROBYN
HAD FOUGHT FOR THE ATTENTION
OF ROBERT VASQUEZ.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Saracco:
HE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE
CATALYSTS FOR ROBYN'S JEALOUSY,
BOTH HE AND LAURA SCHULTZ.
SHE SEES THAT LAURA SCHULTZ
IS NOW BECOMING
INVOLVED WITH DIANE.
NOW, ROBYN FELT THAT, "LISTEN,
IF SHE'S GONNA BECOME INVOLVED
WITH ANY WOMAN, IT SHOULD BE ME
AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE.
I'M THE ONE WHO SUPPORTED
HER DOWN THE LINE
AND I'M THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE
THE ONE CLOSE TO HER."
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
FRIENDS AND SPECTATORS
HAVE THEIR OWN SPECULATIONS
ABOUT ROBYN.
Musto:
"I BOUGHT YOU THIS.
I BOUGHT YOU THIS.
NOW, I HAVE GOT TO BE
INVOLVED IN YOUR LIFE."
Santisario:
ROBYN WASN'T IN LOVE.
SHE WAS OBSESSED.
SHE WANTED THIS PERSON.
SHE WANTED TO CHANGE THIS PERSON
AND SHE COULDN'T DO IT,
SO SHE KILLED HER.
[ OMINOUS CHORD STRIKES ]
Narrator:
ROBYN'S ATTORNEY PAINTS
A DIFFERENT PICTURE.
Reporter:
THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY
FOR ROBYN ARNOLD
SAYS HIS CLIENT
SIMPLY DIDN'T DO IT,
THAT THE PROSECUTION
HAS NO PROOF SHE DID.
ROBYN'S ATTORNEY
BASED HIS WHOLE CASE
ON HER BEING
THE POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL,
GOT MIXED UP WITH
THE WRONG CROWD.
BOB WAS PORTRAYED
AS A JEALOUS HUSBAND.
HE CONCOCTED THE WHOLE STORY.
IT WAS ALL HIS DOING.
IT WAS A JEALOUSY THING.
HE DIDN'T WANT HER
WITH ANYONE ELSE.
Narrator:
WHEN DOMINICK GIORGIO
TAKES THE STAND TO TESTIFY
THAT HE OVERHEARD ROBYN TALKING
ABOUT KILLING DIANE,
ROSEN HAS A CLEVER ARGUMENT.
MR. ROSEN INTRODUCED
A "GENERAL HOSPITAL,"
THE TV SOAP OPERA.
Narrator:
THE EPISODE WAS
FROM DECEMBER 8, 1981,
AND AIRED RIGHT AROUND THE TIME
DOMINICK HAD CLAIMED
TO OVERHEAR ROBYN'S CONFESSION.
AN ACTRESS CAN BE HEARD
CLEARLY SAYING...
[sobbing]
I LOVE DIANE TAYLOR
AND I KILLED HER.
[ EERIE MUSIC CLIMBS ]
ROSEN'S SUGGESTION
TO THE JURY WAS THAT
WHAT WAS OVERHEARD
WAS NOT ROBYN SAYING THIS,
BUT WHAT WAS OVERHEARD
WAS WHAT WAS BEING SAID
ON THE TELEVISION.
[ SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
THE ASTONISHING TWO-WEEK TRIAL
ENDS ON OCTOBER 6, 1982.
IT TAKES ANOTHER FOUR DAYS
FOR THE SIX-MAN, SIX-WOMAN JURY
TO REACH A VERDICT.
[ THUD ]
Saracco:
THE JURY FOUND ROBERT FERRARA
GUILTY OF MURDER
IN THE SECOND DEGREE.
AND FOUND ROBYN ARNOLD
NOT GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES.
♪♪♪♪
Narrator:
BOBBY IS SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
WHO KNOWS IF THE JURORS
MADE THE RIGHT CALL?
WHO KNOWS IF
THEY BOTH WERE GUILTY?
PERHAPS IT WAS JUST BOBBY,
AND ROBYN DESERVED TO GO FREE.
♪♪♪♪
Santisario:
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
TO THIS DAY, I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
REAL-TRUTH REASON WAS.
I'VE CONTACTED BOB A FEW TIMES
WHEN HE WAS IN PRISON.
I WENT THERE TO SEE HIM,
TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHY,
AND I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.
Narrator:
ROBYN WENT ON TO GET MARRIED
AND RAISE A FAMILY.
BOBBY DID HIS TIME IN PRISON
AND WAS RELEASED IN 2008.
♪♪♪♪
[ MELANCHOLY TUNE PLAYS ]
IN A DECADE THAT WOULD BE
DEFINED BY DRAMATIC CHANGES
IN GAY COMMUNITIES
AND SENSATIONAL TRIALS
IN THE MEDIA,
DIANE DELIA'S CASE STOOD OUT,
BUT THE REALITIES
OF THE DIANE DELIA HOMICIDE
WERE MORE THAN JUST
TABLOID HEADLINES.
WELL, ONE OF THE FASCINATING
THINGS ABOUT THIS CASE
IS IT'S NOT CUT-AND-DRY.
IT'S NOT BLACK-AND-WHITE.
IT'S NOT HATER/VICTIM.
THESE ARE PEOPLE
WHO SUPPOSEDLY LOVED HER.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE
IN HER LIFE.
SO, IT DOESN'T FALL
INTO THE USUAL
MORALITY TALE
THAT WE LIKE TO TELL
ABOUT HOW HORRIBLE IT IS
TO HAVE HATERS PICK ON THE LGBT.
IT'S MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT.
IT'S MUCH SADDER
THAN THAT.
I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER
WHAT A GOOD PERSON SHE WAS.
WHEREVER SHE WENT, SHE WAS
A STAR.
SHE WAS A MAGNIFICENT PERSON.
I'LL NEVER FORGET HER.
♪♪♪♪