Suspect Identified in 1990 Murder of Gay Performer Billy London

Cold-case detectives have identified a primary suspect in the 1990 murder of William Arnold Newton, known as gay adult performer Billy London. The suspect, Daralyn Madden, has allegedly confessed to the abduction and murder, though the Los Angeles County District Attorney has declined to press charges.

Investigation and Suspect Identification

According to a report in the Los Angeles Times today, cold-case detectives have identified a primary suspect in the 1990 murder of William Arnold Newton, also known as gay adult performer Billy London. The suspect, Daralyn Madden, was formerly known as "Billy Houston" and was a one-time gay adult performer. Madden, who now identifies as a transgender woman and an Orthodox Jew, is currently serving a life sentence for murder in Oklahoma.

Madden, described as a "self-proclaimed white supremacist and skinhead," has allegedly confessed to Newton’s abduction and murder in a taped confession, as reported by Kevin Rector in the LA Times article, "Avenging Billy: How amateur sleuths took on a gay porn actor’s haunting Hollywood murder." Madden stated in a recorded confession that she abducted London from Santa Monica Boulevard. She claimed that she and her skinhead friends targeted London for robbery after seeing him walking along the street. Madden said she approached London, put her arm around his shoulder, and threatened to "beat the crap out of him" and rob him. Madden also stated she strangled London, which matches the coroner’s findings.

Investigators connected Madden to London’s murder after Madden pleaded guilty to killing Steven Domer, a gay man in Oklahoma, and Bradley Qualls, who was Madden’s accomplice in Domer’s murder. Qualls had confessed to abducting, robbing, beating, and strangling London to death. Madden and Qualls committed the first murder as part of a gang initiation into the Chaos Squad Skinheads. Madden later shot and killed Qualls.

Despite the alleged confession and the criminal case presented to prosecutors, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has declined to press charges. The LA Times report cited “a lack of evidence beyond the confession” and “the difficulty of proving Madden’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt after 30 years and with so many unanswered questions remaining in the case.”

Community Involvement and Documentary Efforts

Over the past several years, a community coalition formed to raise public awareness of the case. This coalition included Emmy-nominated documentarian Rachel Mason, known for “Circus of Books,” adult director Kevin Clarke, novelists and true crime podcasters Christopher Rice and Eric Shaw Quinn, and social worker Clark Williams. This reporter, JC Adams, is among those who called for leads more than a decade ago and has published a series of bulletins for XBIZ documenting the progress of the cold case.

Rachel Mason, whose documentary “My Brother’s Killer” premieres at SXSW, spoke with XBIZ about the breakthrough. Mason stated that she assumed Billy’s death did not receive mainstream news coverage because it involved someone from the adult community. Mason’s research for her documentary, along with her editor-producer Dion Labriola, intersected with cold-case detectives and amateur sleuths, ultimately helping to identify a suspect and elicit an on-camera confession.

Los Angeles Police Department Det. John Lamberti, with assistance from Rachel Mason and Clark Williams, helped solve the case and identify the murderer, according to the WeHo Times.

Details of the 1990 Murder

William Arnold Newton, known as Billy London, was a gay adult performer. He moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1985 at the age of 19. He worked at a gay bathhouse before meeting adult film producer David Rey, who became his boyfriend. Newton starred in films such as Bulge, Head of the Class, Hot Wired, and In the Grip of Passion. He also worked under the name Bill E. London for movies including Fantasy Boys, Swap Meat, and Dreamen.

In late October 1990, shortly before Halloween, Newton completed what would be his final film, The Grip of Passion. He was last seen alive socializing in West Hollywood on October 28. On October 29, his head and feet were discovered in a Santa Monica dumpster. Only his head and one of his arms were found, stashed in plastic bags inside a dumpster. Despite multiple attempts over the years to generate new tips or leads, the case remained unsolved for 33 years.

LAPD detective Ron Veneman stated at the time, “We have several leads we’re working on but nothing that is solid yet. We have other information we’re not at liberty to give out.” Billy Newton would have been 58 years old this year.

Key Facts

• William Arnold Newton, known as gay adult performer Billy London, was murdered in October 1990.
• His head and feet were found in a Santa Monica dumpster on October 29, 1990.
• Daralyn Madden, formerly known as "Billy Houston," has been identified as the primary suspect.
• Madden, a self-proclaimed white supremacist and skinhead, allegedly confessed to the abduction and murder.
• Madden is currently serving a life sentence for murder in Oklahoma for other crimes.
• Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has declined to press charges in Newton's murder, citing a lack of evidence beyond the confession.