Andrew Cunanan: an interview with U.S. Marshal William Sorukas

An Italian translation is available here.

In 1997 spree killer Andrew Cunanan killed five people in a three month span, the last of his victims was fashion designer Gianni Versace. To better understand Cunanan's motives and some details about the investigation, we offer today our readers an interview with US Marshal William Sorukas who at the time was Supervisory Deputy U. S. Marshal and took part in the investigation as coordinator for the Fugitive Group of the San Diego Violent Crimes Task Force.

We would like to thank William Sorukas for his kindness and willingness to help.

Nastro di Möbius: How was this case different from others you've investigated?

William Sorukas: During my career I investigated thousands of cases, and they are all different is some respect. However, the Cunanan investigation was unique because of the geographic scope and the fact that he committed crimes is several different jurisdictions, i.e. Minnesota, Illinois, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Florida. It is my experience that when a fugitive commits crimes in several jurisdictions, thus involving several law enforcement agencies, the investigative process can be complicated. This is exactly the type of case where the U. S. Marshals Service is the perfect federal agency to coordinate the investigation, due largely to our relationships with state and local law enforcement agencies.


Nastro di Möbius: In your opinion, what started Cunanan's murder spree all of a sudden?

William Sorukas: This would be my opinion because we will never know his true motivation. I believe that he was jilted first by a La Jolla man with whom he had a relationship. So, he then sought out who he interpreted as the next best thing in his life, which was David Madson. When Madson rejected him and the fictional life he had been leading began to fall apart, he murdered Jeff Trail. From that point, it was a matter of running and surviving until he cornered and then take his own life.

Gianni Versace's villa at 1116 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach

Nastro di Möbius: In your opinion, why did he choose Versace as a victim? They had nothing in common, unless an alleged meeting some seven years before, which was very quick.

William Sorukas: Again, this is merely my opinion. When he arrived in Florida, he had committed four murders and most likely realized that the life that he was accustomed to, was coming to a conclusion. He always aspired to have the best clothes, wine, stay in the nicest hotels, drive expensive cars, etc., so the culmination of his murder spree would end with a person that he had a desire to have a relationship with, and lived the lavish lifestyle that he envisioned for himself. He always wanted to be famous and at this point, killing Versace was the way that he would achieve fame and eliminate the person he envisioned as the ultimate prize.


Nastro di Möbius: Why did he choose to hide in a house boat (thus condemning himself to death) instead of keep running and hiding?

William Sorukas: As a fugitive investigator, we have a strategy of “making his world a very, very, very small place”. Because of the intense media pressure, lack of any financial support, lack of any support from friends or family, and the increasing inability to be in public, he stumbled upon the vacant houseboat. My belief is that he was probably living on the streets of Miami for awhile and looking for such an opportunity as the houseboat.


Nastro di Möbius: How come he was able to hide in plain sight for such a long time before killing Versace?

William Sorukas: After he killed William Reese in New Jersey and stole his truck, it took a short time to connect him to the crime. It was only after the discovery of the vehicle that was owned by Lee Miglin (his 3rd victim), that he became a suspect. He then drove the vehicle that belonged to Reese to South Carolina, where he switched the license plates with another red pickup truck in a shopping center parking lot. We did not know about the switched license plate until the discovery of the vehicle following the murder of Versace. Until the discovery of Reese’s vehicle in a parking garage following the murder of Versace, our best information as to his whereabouts was the New Jersey crime scene, although Miami had come to the attention of investigators.

The parking garage in Miami Beach at Collins Avenue and 13th street where Cunanan parked William Reese's truck

Nastro di Möbius: Was his ability of disguise a key factor in him escaping police for over two months?

William Sorukas: Although a fugitive disguising himself/herself is not uncommon, I really don’t feel that it was an issue in the Andrew Cunanan investigation. In the end, his appearance was identical to the picture on his most recent California drivers license. I’ve made the statement previously that some of the more difficult investigations that I have been part of, are fugitives that do not have a plan and do not know where their day will end. My opinion is that once he committed the first murder in Minnesota, he was making up his flight as the case developed. Although, his contact with and murder of Lee Miglin was not random and certainly something that became an opportunity once he fled Minnesota.


Nastro di Möbius: What is surprising to me is that Cunanan lived a normal life for 27 years, and then turned into a killing machine and killed four people in two weeks. Do you see many cases like this in your everyday work or was he a unique case?

William Sorukas: Again, this is merely my opinion. I would suggest that following his separation from the La Jolla man, being shunned by and killing Madson, and then killing Trail, he then became a “spree killer”, as opposed to a serial killer. I view a spree killer as an individual that commits a small number of murders over a short period of time, and is usually motivated by a personal event. During my time in law enforcement, I have dealt with a variety of murderers. As an investigator pursuing a murder suspect, whether it be a typical homicide, spree killer, serial killer, or otherwise, the investigative process is much the same. You must be cognizant of the crimes for which the person is wanted, but his behavior, characteristics, criminal history, life style, financial status, and a number of other factors, are what is focused on as the investigation develops.


Nastro di Möbius: Do you think it would have been possible to catch him alive? Were any mistakes made by investigators that allowed him to keep escaping?

William Sorukas: In my opinion, he most likely made the decision that when confronted by law enforcement, he would take his life. His vision for himself was living in a large estate, drinking the best wine, eating at the finest restaurants, driving expensive cars, dressing in the best clothes, and associating with important, wealthy people. Prison life would have none of those things, and he made the decision in the days and weeks before July 23, 1997, to take his own life when contained or surrounded by law enforcement.