As the year 1972 was poised to welcome 1973, an establishment named W.M. Tweeds, a noted singles bar located in the wellspring of Upper West Side, New York City, brimmed with celebration. Among the patrons was an individual named Roseann Quinn, a woman of 28 years who called New Jersey her birthplace and worked as a teacher. Living in a studio apartment that was conveniently placed just across from the bar, Quinn joined the revelry of that year’s end night. It was on this occasion that she crossed paths with John Wayne Wilson, another participant of the night’s festivities.
As the night wore on, Quinn and Wilson left the crowded bar together, their destination being Quinn’s nearby apartment. An unsuspected twist of fate waited at the place, as authorities later revealed that Wilson had violently assaulted and fatally injured Quinn in a lethal culmination of their intimate encounter. Following this brutal act, Wilson took flight, departing from the scene and leaving Quinn alone in her apartment.
The grim unveiling of the horrific incident did not occur until the early days of the new year. It was on January 3, 1973 when a colleague of Quinn, driven by concern, showed up at her doorstep. The sight that met his eyes was one of grave horror – Quinn’s lifeless body, left abandoned and desecrated. The positioning of her body further added to the gruesome tableau; she lay stretched across her own bed, naked and violated.
Adding to the gruesome scene, a heavy statue of a woman, weighing around 65 pounds, was found on her face, an indication of the brutal beating that had been unfairly unleashed on her. The subsequent medical examination unravelled further details of the barbaric act; it was determined that the victim had been inflicted with a distressing count of approximately 18 stab injuries. Further analysis shared by the Times shed light on an even grimmer hypothesis that Quinn had been sexually violated and that a heated altercation could have possibly triggered the manslaughter.
The news of Quinn’s death met the world with disbelief and shock, especially those who had known her closely. In their accounts, Quinn was depicted as a warm, congenial teacher, who was deeply cherished by students of St. Joseph’s School for Deaf Children, an institution located in the Bronx, where she taught. On a personal level, she was remembered as an individual who possessed a pleasant combination of niceness, tranquillity and shyness.
Adding to this personal account, neighbours recalled Quinn as a lady of refined taste, choosing to dress in demure skirts and blouses, as opposed to the trendy ‘hippy’ attire. This portrait of Quinn sharply contrasted with the violent circumstances of her unfortunate demise. The incident prompted an expansive investigation, that had its focus not just on the act, but also on tracking down the perpetrator.
The search led investigators to a residence in Indianapolis, Indiana barely five days following the discovery of the sordid crime. This was the home of Wilson’s brother, where the 23-year-old was found hiding. Prior to his fateful encounter with Quinn, Wilson had already acquired fugitive status, having managed a daring escape from a prison in Miami, months before the murder.
After being apprehended, Wilson was extradited back to New York, now with multiple charges tied to his name, the most grave among them being a charge of murder connected to the unfortunate demise of Roseann Quinn. However, the course of justice was abruptly disrupted in May 1973, when Wilson opted to end his life in his prison cell, all the while waiting for his trial to commence.
Intriguingly, in the years that followed, Quinn’s life and the gruesome end it met found its way into the literary world. Judith Rossner, a noted author, built upon the real-life narrative to create her 1975 novel, ‘Looking for Mr. Goodbar’. The novel explores the world of a fictional teacher, Theresa Dunn, who embarks on numerous sexual adventures and singles bar rendezvous, only to meet her end at the hands of a man she invites home.
The compelling narrative spun into Rossner’s book did not remain confined to the bounds of the written word. It transitioned to the realm of the silver screen, lending its storyline to a 1977 movie directed by Richard Brooks; a film that shared its title with the book. The bold portrayal of Theresa Dunn was courageously brought to life by Diane Keaton.
The movie also featured the talents of Richard Gere, already making a name for himself in Hollywood. Together, they created a compelling viewing experience, which managed to gather significant box office success. The records on IMDb state that the film raked in an impressive total of $22.5 million in box office earnings.
The powerful rendition of Theresa Dunn’s character by Keaton didn’t go unnoticed by critics. Consequently, the actress nabbed a nomination for a Golden Globe, specifically in the category of the best performance by an actress in a drama film. Ultimately, the case of Roseann Quinn found its tragic echo not just in the police reports and criminal annals, but also in the narratives of novel and film, reaching a wide audience and etching this tale of a dreadful night into cultural memory.