Ricky Kasso
Ricky Kasso | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard Allan Kasso Jr. March 29, 1967 Huntington, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 7, 1984 (aged 17) Riverhead, New York, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Suicide by hanging |
| Other names | The Acid King, The Say You Love Satan Killer |
| Education | High school dropout |
Richard Allan Kasso Jr. (March 29, 1967 – July 7, 1984), also known as the Acid King, was an American murderer who killed his friend, 17-year-old Gary Lauwers, in Northport, New York, on June 19, 1984. 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, Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne.