Acid King

About

This band's name references a 1984 murder case in Northport, New York, in which 17-year-old Gary Lauwers was killed by his friend Richard Allan Kasso Jr. Two other teenagers, Jimmy Troiano and Albert Quiñones, were present at the murder, which occurred in the Aztakea Woods. All four individuals involved were under the influence of what they believed to be mescaline, though it was most likely LSD. The case became a major news story due to allegations of torture and purported occult elements surrounding the crime. The murder occurred during the period known as the "Satanic panic," a time marked by significant public concern regarding the influence of Satanic and occult content in heavy metal music and role-playing games. At the time of his arrest, Kasso was wearing an AC/DC T-shirt and was known to be a fan of groups including Black Sabbath and Judas Priest.