A trusted priest with a collar and a gun walked into a funeral home, and two lives were cut down in cold blood, shaking a small Midwestern town to its core. What was Father Ryan Erickson hiding behind his vows and sacred duties?

In February 2002, life in Hudson, Wisconsin was upended when funeral home director Dan O’Connell and his young intern James Ellison were found shot to death in broad daylight. The case went cold for years, until shocking leads surfaced pointing to a charismatic Catholic priest whose life of rigid conservatism, secrets, and misconduct may have masked something far darker. In this LGBTQ+ true crime podcast episode, we unpack how allegations of abuse, a failure in both the system and the church, and a double homicide intersect with broader questions about power, identity, and justice in small town America. True crime with a queer perspective isn’t just about the mystery, it’s about the systems that let these horrors persist.

Hosted by Jordi and Brad, Beers With Queers brings chilling crimes, queer stories, and twisted justice to light, all with a cold one in hand. Press play, grab a drink, and join us as we uncover the darkest corners of LGBTQ+ true crime history.

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