Although often overlooked in media accounts, the three-month murder spree that ended in the death of Gianni Versace began with Andrew Cunanan in Minnesota. In late April of 1997, Cunanan traveled to Minneapolis to visit his friends Jeffrey Trail and David Madson. Shortly after his arrival, Cunanan’s visit took a grisly turn.

On April 29, 1997, a concerned co-worker discovered the body of Cunanan's first victim, Jeffrey Trail, rolled up in a rug in this Minneapolis apartment building.
In Minnesota Andrew Cunanan began his killing spree
Google Maps Street View/280 2nd Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN
Trail's body was found in David Madson's apartment. The co-worker had come to check on Madson, who had failed to show up at work for several days. At first, police suspected that Madson had killed Trail. Eventually, police learned Cunanan had stolen Trail's handgun. He then lured Trail to Madson's apartment, ostensibly to retrieve the gun. But when Trail arrived, Cunanan bludgeoned him to death with a claw hammer.
Madson's friends and family members insisted that Cunanan had kidnaped him.
In Minnesota Andrew Cunanan began his killing spree
Sao her/Google Reviews
Tragically, their suspicions proved correct. A few days later, on May 3, 1997, two fishermen discovered Madson's body on the shore of East Rush Lake, near Rush City, Minnesota. Cunanan had used Trail's handgun to kill him.
On the same day, Cunanan drove Madson's Jeep to Chicago, where he bound and tortured renowned real estate developer Lee Miglin in a garage behind his Gold Coast townhome. Miglin was found stabbed to death.
In Minnesota Andrew Cunanan began his killing spree
Stephen Hogan/Flickr
Cunanan left Madson's Jeep and stole Miglin's Lexus.
Law enforcement agencies launched a nationwide manhunt for Cunanan, spearheaded by the FBI.
In Minnesota Andrew Cunanan began his killing spree
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images

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Cunanan fled Chicago and drove to New York, then Pennsylvania. He eventually ended up in New Jersey, where he killed his fourth victim, William Reese, on May 9, 1997, and stole his red Chevrolet pickup.
Famartin/Wikimedia Commons
Reese was a caretaker at Finn's Point National Cemetery. His wife alerted authorities when he didn't come home for dinner. Police discovered his body in the caretaker's office at the cemetery. He had been shot with the same gun Cunanan had used to murder Madson.
Law enforcement tracked Cunanan to South Florida, where he arrived around May 12, 1997.
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images
Cunanan's trail went cold for more than two months.
The FBI added Cunanan to its "Most Wanted" fugitives list on June 12, 1997.
FBI
On the morning of July 15, 1997, Cunanan assassinated Gianni Versace in front of his Miami Beach home.
Daniel Di Palma/Wikimedia Commons
Versace had gone out to a cafe to buy magazines and was just returning when Cunanan ambushed him.
Cunanan evaded capture for another eight days until law enforcement found him hiding aboard a houseboat on July 23, 1997.
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images
A Miami Police SWAT team and FBI agents stormed the vessel only to discover that Cunanan had fatally shot himself with the gun he'd used to murder Versace.

Although Versace and Miglin are the most often mentioned victims of Cunanan’s murderous rampage, the serial killer brought untold sorrow to the friends and family of his Minnesota victims, David Madson and Jeffrey Trail, as well.

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