The Grindr Cannibal: The Christmas Eve Hookup That Turned into a Nightmare
For many, the holidays are a time of warmth, family, and togetherness. But for 25-year-old Kevin Bacon of Swartz Creek, Michigan, Christmas Eve of 2019 became a horrifying ordeal—one that ended in unspeakable terror.
That night, seeking company, Bacon turned to Grindr, a popular dating app in the LGBTQ+ community. His match was Mark Latunski, a 50-year-old man from nearby Bennington Township. Expecting a casual holiday hookup, Bacon left home around 5:20 p.m. and messaged his roommate, Michelle Myers, less than an hour later, saying he wasn’t sure when he’d be back.
He would never return.
A House of Horrors
When Bacon failed to show up for Christmas Day festivities with his family, concern quickly turned into fear. Later that day, his abandoned car, wallet, and cellphone were discovered in a parking lot. Authorities traced his last known location back to the Grindr app—and to Mark Latunski’s remote farmhouse.
On December 27, police arrived at Latunski’s home. The moment they stepped inside, they were met with a nightmarish scene. Suspended from the ceiling, hanging upside down, was Kevin Bacon’s lifeless and mutilated body.
Without hesitation, Latunski confessed. He had stabbed Bacon to death, castrated him, and horrifyingly, eaten parts of his remains.
Who Is Mark Latunski?
On the surface, Mark Latunski appeared to be an educated and accomplished professional. A trained chemist, he had once enjoyed a six-figure salary and a seemingly stable family life. However, beneath that veneer lurked a deeply disturbed mind.
His past was littered with warning signs. Diagnosed in 2010 and 2012 with severe recurrent depression, psychotic features, paranoid schizophrenia, and borderline personality traits, Latunski’s mental state was long in question. His ex-wife revealed he had a fascination with “torture movies” and became erratic when off his medication.
Despite this history, no one could have predicted the horror he was capable of.
The Victims Before Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon was not the first man to suffer at Latunski’s hands. Just two months before Bacon’s murder, in October 2019, a 48-year-old man named James Carlsen called 911 after escaping from Latunski’s basement. Carlsen had traveled from New York to Michigan for what he thought would be a consensual BDSM encounter—only to find himself chained up. He managed to free himself with a butcher knife and fled.
A month later, a bleeding man showed up on a neighbor’s porch, terrified, claiming, “He wants to hurt me.” Moments later, Latunski arrived, as did the Michigan State Police. Shockingly, no arrests were made.
The Insanity Plea & Trial
Charged with open murder and mutilation of a body, Latunski initially attempted an insanity defense, hoping to be placed in a secured psychiatric hospital instead of prison. He claimed he was royalty—descended from a noble bloodline—and was completely unrepentant about his crimes.
Despite his documented mental illness, he was found competent to stand trial. Ultimately, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Mind of a Cannibal
The gruesome details of Bacon’s death led experts to dissect the psychology behind Latunski’s actions. Psychiatric nurse practitioner Victor Petreca, who has studied criminal cannibals, explained that many violent killers exhibit “overkill” behaviors driven by rage. However, cannibals, he noted, tend to be methodical.
“It’s more psychologically or psychosexually driven,” Petreca explained. “You may call it even foreplay. And it’s more organized.”
A Case That Left Scars
Even seasoned professionals found themselves deeply disturbed by the case. Doug Corwin, Latunski’s public defender, admitted the trial made him reconsider his career.
“This was the oddest, most shocking case I’ve ever worked on,” he said. In fact, the experience drove him to run for a Michigan judgeship in 2024, though he was ultimately unsuccessful.
A Tragedy That Could Have Been Prevented?
Looking back, it’s clear that multiple red flags were ignored. Latunski had exhibited dangerous behavior, and yet he remained free. Could Kevin Bacon’s murder—and the horrific fate he suffered—have been avoided?
For Kevin’s grieving family and friends, those questions remain agonizingly unanswered. But one thing is certain: his story serves as a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk behind an innocent swipe on a dating app.
