Murder of Gary Lauwers
| Date | June 19, 1984 |
|---|---|
| Location | Northport, New York, U.S. |
| Type | Stabbing |
| Outcome | Kasso commits suicide in jail Troiano is acquitted of second-degree murder |
| Deaths | Gary Lauwers |
| Arrests | Ricky Kasso Jimmy Troiano |
| Convictions | None |
On June 19, 1984, 17-year old Gary Lauwers was murdered in Northport, New York, by his friend, Richard Allan Kasso Jr. Two other teenagers, Jimmy Troiano and Albert Quiñones, were present at the murder, which took place in the Aztakea Woods of Northport; all four were under the influence of what they believed to be mescaline, but was most likely LSD.
The murder became a sensational news story due to the alleged torture of Lauwers and supposed occult aspects of the murder. The murder took place during a period known as the "Satanic panic", when there was much public concern over the effects of Satanic and occult content in heavy metal music and in role-playing games. Kasso was wearing an AC/DC T-shirt at the time of his arrest and was a fan of groups such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest.